The National Dementia Strategy requires an improved evidence base about the effectiveness of two service models proposed within objectives 4 and 5. This briefing provides summary information about the four dementia demonstrator sites in the South West region.

Objective 4 – enabling easy access to care, support and advice following diagnosis

Bristol
In this project, three dementia advisor posts are working alongside two dementia support officers that are current being piloted in Bristol. The addition of the three advisor posts allow for full evaluation of the two different roles and to understand which has the most benefit or whether both have a place within the city. The two support officers are currently working within two practice based commissioning consortia in Bristol. The three advisors will cover the three remaining consortia, to ensure that every person in Bristol has access to a named dementia officer.

Contact: Emma Bird

Somerset
In this project, Dementia Advisers are a ‘mobile’ resource and work within a range of settings across Somerset, including: GP practices, Active Living Centres, a one stop shop approach linked to memory assessment services and Mental Health and Learning Disability community based teams.

Contact: Mel Lock

Objective 5 – development of structured peer support and learning

Cornwall
This project seeks to marry two exciting forces for change. First, a grass-roots energy that has seen a spontaneous flourishing of community-owned Memory Cafes established across the county in the last year. Second, a strategic drive and commitment from Cornwall Council and the Primary Care Trust to develop and improve services for people with dementia and their carers that are individually tailored to local needs. The project seeks to capitalise on the relationship between building sustainable communities and developing dementia peer-support groups.

Contact: Tryphaena Doyle

Torbay
This project aims to develop an evidence base for effective peer support through a memory café model, which is able to meets the needs of all population groups.

Contact: Ann Redmayne