NHS England (South Yorkshire & Bassetlaw)
NHS England is a national healthcare commissioning organisation concerned with quality assurance, improvement and direct commissioning of specific services. Our goal is ‘high quality care for all, now and for future generations’. It is geographically based, 4 regional teams and 27 area teams. South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw Area team covers the geographical boundaries of South Yorkshire, including Rotherham, Barnsley, Doncaster, Sheffield and Bassetlaw.
- Updated:
- 11 August 2014
- Location:
- Yorkshire and Humber
- Sectors:
- Health
- Local Alliances:
- Barnsley Dementia Action Alliance, Doncaster Dementia Action Alliance, Rotherham Dementia Action Alliance, Sheffield Dementia Action Alliance, Yorkshire & Humber Dementia Action Alliance
1. Action Plan
1. The National Dementia Declaration lists seven outcomes that the DAA are seeking to achieve for people with dementia and their carers. How would you describe your organisation’s role in delivering better outcomes for people with dementia and their carers?
We work closely with Strategic Clinical Networks, Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs), Public Health England and others to ensure parity across Yorkshire and the Humber in provision of dementia services.
Internally, we are intending to raise awareness of the dementia friends campaign amongst staff; provide support for staff who are directly and indirectly affected by dementia; raising awareness of risk factors to reduce the potential for them to become sufferers themselves; to encourage staff actions to support dementia sufferers in the wider community.
Externally, we are ensuring that CCGs are commissioning and providing high quality dementia services and sharing good practice. For directly commissioned services, encouragement is given for GPs to sign up to incentive schemes such as Directly Enhanced Services (DES) which are closely monitored.
2. What are the challenges to delivering these outcomes from the perspective of your organisation?
The people of South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw face high rates of socio economic deprivation, poor levels of educational attainment and poorer health than the national average.
Our area team is building on the work already started by PCTs, which has seen a general improvement in health outcomes. We do this through our own direct commissioning of services and working closely with our key partners – Clinical Commissioning Groups; Health and Well Being Boards; Providers and other key stakeholders to make a real difference to local people.
Challenges include; promoting healthier lifestyles such as reducing smoking rates, increasing physical activity and reducing harmful drinking. Healthier lifestyles may reduce the risk for developing some forms of dementia. We also need to improve the quality and consistency of primary care and the other services we commission, at a time of financial challenge. Helping CCGs to develop uniformly high quality dementia services is challenging,
Member website
www.england.nhs.uk2. Actions
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Commitment to become a dementia friendly organisation
Our Directors will make a formal commitment to support the ‘Dementia Friends’ campaign and endorse any actions identified to promote the campaign. This will be achieved by identifying an organisational lead to drive through change, and endorsing and supporting the implementation of the action plan developed.
A publicity campaign will be developed and implemented within and across the organisation through posters, articles, briefing sessions and a fun day. A Staff Engagement Group will be responsible for implementation.
- Status:
- Planning
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Improve our understanding of dementia
Staff will be encouraged to increase their awareness of dementia through:
- watching the on-line videos,
- taking part in face-to-face awareness sessions,
- Pledging an action they will carry out to demonstrate support for dementia sufferers or their carers.
Staff will be encouraged to take up the offer of NHS England 5 ‘volunteer days’ to use them towards ‘dementia friendly’ causes.
- Status:
- Implementation
-
Support staff who are carers or people with potential of dementia
Staff who are carers will be identified through a national NHS England staff survey and support offered through the use of flexible working, carers leave, mental health first aider in the work place, buddying system, occupational health services and through the new volunteering policy.
We will continue with the programme of ‘Health and Wellbeing’ events and will include information about dementia such as symptom recognition and routes for advice, diagnosis and treatment.
- Status:
- Implementation
-
Encourage ‘parity of esteem’ through commissioning
- Promote the Dementia DES and encourage sign up by GPs
- Encourage all providers of care to adults to consider how to take account of the needs of patients who may have dementia and ensure contracts reflect how providers meet these needs.
- Encourage partner organisations to become ‘dementia friendly’ organisations
- Status:
- Delivery