NHS Trusts create clinical network for dementia

Friday 27th January 2012

Two Merseyside NHS Trusts in the UK are taking a new approach to tackling dementia – cases of which are expected to rise dramatically by 2020 – by forming a special network.

Liverpool Community Health NHS Trust (LCH) and Merseycare NHS Trust are working together on a ‘clinical network’ which will pool the resources of both organisations and will mean that there is a single, clear pathway which will enable the early identification and treatment of patients with mental health needs. Local Acute Trusts will also have involvement in the network. 

“Dementia is a huge, growing healthcare issue due to the changing demographics of the population,” said Dave Jones, Consultant Nurse for Older People for LCH.

“It is estimated that in the next twenty years dementia care will become a massive financial concern, consuming billions of pounds – and potentially up to half of the NHS budget. 

“We need to make sure we are putting adequate systems and processes in place to support patients and carers to deal with dementia. 

“At present on Merseyside there isn’t a clear single pathway for identifying and treating dementia patients. 

“So, we are not really intervening with patients as early as we’d like. By pooling our knowledge and resources in this integrated way, we can work more effectively and efficiently. 

“People with dementia are present in all of our care settings – in hospital, intermediate care units and care homes as well as out in the community. 

“We all have some involvement in identification of patients and treatment planning, so dementia leads in both organisations felt strongly that we should pool our services together and develop a more integrated approach. 

“This is simply a new way of working. So for example, if a patient is recovering following a hip replacement operation and it is suspected that he or she has dementia, this can be followed up through use of the network.” 

The network currently has identified three main streams of joint working: a tailored care and proactive care model, care home support and the development liaison psychiatry to support Intermediate Care. 

The proactive care model, also known as tailored care, is a 12-week programme for patients with long-term conditions. Patients are identified to take part in this using health and social care data. This approach will identify patients with dementia as well as those suffering other conditions such as COPD and heart disease. 

“With regard to care home support, what we want is one integrated care home support team so an LCH nurse working in a nursing or residential home could simply call a mental health nurse if and when necessary rather than having to refer to mental health teams via GP’s,” said Jones.

“The third element of the work, liaison psychiatry, also involves integrated working. Some patients in hospital beds have dementia and nursing staff need support with these patients. From 1st April 2012, there will be further developments regarding acute hospital liaison work going on. 

“The idea is that Merseycare NHS Trust has a bespoke liaison team working across Acute wards. Extending that concept, people in the intermediate care system –with a total of101 beds –increasingly require mental health input. It would be great to have a liaison psychiatry team to help meet these patients’ needs.”

Liverpool Community Health NHS Trust