A message from Walsall Clinical Commissioning Group

Dementia affects one in 14 people at the age of 65 and 1 in 6 people at the age of 80. Dementia is a life limiting disease which results in too many people going in hospital inappropriately and care prematurely. In Walsall, there are currently believed to be over 3,000 people with dementia. False beliefs that nothing can be done and a lack of dementia awareness means people with dementia and their carers do not receive the support they need from services and the wider community.

Walsall has embarked on a series of projects to make Walsall a more dementia friendly place to live. We are in our second year now. These projects involve supporting public-facing local businesses/organisations to become more dementia friendly. To achieve this, we have commissioned the Alzheimer’s Society and Pathways4Life (Age UK & Accord partnership) to carry out dementia development sessions on our behalf. This is part of a council and NHS kite mark approach which will see businesses receive the award and be able to display it, once they have taken part in the development work and the providers are satisfied that increased dementia awareness has been achieved.

Mystery shoppers will monitor the business’ dementia friendliness long term.

The kite mark logo was chosen by people with dementia and their carers in Walsall who attend some of our seven dementia cafés.

We are writing to invite you to take part in this project which involves:

• Dementia awareness;
• Communication skills in dementia;
• Formulating an environmental action place (this is about signage etc);
• Developing dementia champions who can assist people with dementia.

Sessions are in blocks of two hours and would involve these dementia specialists spending time with your staff so that they do not have to be released to attend the traditional classroom style of training.

NHS Walsall Clinical Commissioning Group aim to maximise publicity for this work and the businesses taking part, as it is a good example of partnership working. People with dementia and their carers in Walsall will be made fully aware of the dementia friendly logo and to look out for it to identify a dementia friendly business.

If you wish to be involved in this exciting project, which is part of a national drive and response to the Prime Minister’s challenges on dementia, please contact:

Sue Summerfield
Email: sue.summerfield@walsall.nhs.uk
Telephone 01922 602484
Fax: 01922 618360

Please contact me for any further information.

Yours faithfully

Michael Hurt
Commissioning Manager: Older People’s Mental Health & Dementia
Joint Commissioning Unit
NHS Walsall/Social Care and Inclusion – Walsall Council
michael.hurt@walsall.nhs.uk Tel: 01922 602457