This resource pack sets out key steps for Commissioners, and key steps for General Practices to improve the diagnosis of dementia, and the diagnosis pathway.

• 10 key steps to improving timely diagnosis: A resource pack for Commissioners and General Practices
• Browse the resource pack online

These steps focus on,

• understanding your local prevalence of dementia, and the local diagnosis rate
• considering where and how improvements in diagnosis might be achieved
• improving awareness and recognition
• improving access to memory assessment and diagnosis
• improving access to the right information, at the right time, and
• improving the experience for people seeking help with memory problems.

The 10 key steps offer a systemic approach to improve the quality of services for people seeking help with memory problems.

Each step is accompanied by links to a range of resources to support local implementation, and examples of positive practice.

Design principles

Principles critical to the success of this approach are embedded in each key step. These include:

• leadership, and capacity to deliver diagnosis improvement plan, including resources, are established at the outset
• a strategic, planned approach is taken jointly with key stakeholders, including people living with dementia
• action, is based on an understanding of the baseline, and what is needed;
• the introduction of ‘catalysts’, ‘accelerators’ and ‘enablers’ to drive change and improvement;
• actions are within systems and across systems, and initiated in parallel where this will have a positive effect
• brief cycles of change are used in order to maintain momentum
• interdependencies are mapped, anticipated and reviewed regularly
• action is sustained over time, ensuring continuity where system change may otherwise be destabilising
• change and improvement are tracked, measured, and inform next steps. (Schneider, K., 2012)