This project aims to deliver a Dementia Crisis Respite Service (DCRS) in North West Surrey to prevent breakdown of a caring situation or care package that would probably have led to hospital admission or admission to a care home.

The DCRS would be a new service offering short term support (up to 6 weeks) and would be designed to respond to unpredictable or crisis situations by providing round the clock access to rapid (within 2 hour), specialist home based support for people  with dementia and their carers. Services would include: personal care/support with activities of daily living, support with medication compliance and/or sitting services.

The West Kent model demonstrated a significant drop in emergency admissions to hospital and residential care and it is anticipated that successful implementation of this model locally would contribute to QIPP and create opportunities for redistribution of funding to support reinvestment, sustainability and scope.

Timescale

This project will begin early in 2013 and run for 15 months.  There would be a 3 month lead-in period during which time providers would be identified, the model and pathways agreed and a robust communication strategy developed and implemented.

Objectives

• Improved patient and carer experience by providing care and support at home to reduce unnecessary distress through travelling (carers), waiting and inappropriate admission to hospital
• To test and refine local implementation of a service that has shown to be effective elsewhere (West Kent )
• To ensure delivery of a service that helps meet the priorities identified by people with dementia and their carers
• Improved patient safety
• Rapid and easy assessment and access to care (24/7) by a workforce that is able to meet the more specialist needs of people with cognitive impairment and associated behaviour problems and psychological symptoms
• Patients supported to remain in their own home – helps avoid inappropriate admissions to urgent short term acute hospital care as well as A&E attendance Knowing help is available at short notice if required will enable carers to feel more supported and able to cope
• Promote faster recovery from illness
• More people  supported to die at home (if that is their preference) To build on partnership working and integrated care
• To combine a service that improves quality of care for people with dementia and their carers with robust return on investment

Anticipated outcomes

• More people able to access crisis support
• Reduced number of unplanned admission to hospital/ short term crisis residential care
• Improved patient and carer satisfaction
• More people with dementia supported to die at home

Progress update

The project is due to start on the 1st October 2013.