Agenda item

For the Board to consider the borough’s Draft Dementia Strategy which

has been prepared with community input and the support of the

Dementia Action Alliance.

4.1           Councillor Ben Coleman welcomed the work undertaken co-producing the dementia strategy which supported the intention to become a dementia friendly council and borough. Working collaboratively with residents, community partners and local groups there was a strong commitment to improving services and support for all residents living with dementia and their carers.  Acknowledging that it was World Alzheimer’s Day, Councillor Coleman thanked the Dementia Strategy Task and Finish Group and commended them for their unstinting support.

4.2           Jo Baty added that the draft dementia strategy had been co-produced with stakeholders most expert in the needs of people with dementia and their carers and represented a renewed hope of becoming a dementia friendly borough . There were currently 570 dementia friends from the Council, CCG, CAN and from local stakeholders and residents. It had been necessary to navigate some difficult conversations with carers, families and stakeholders across the community, private and public sector to examine the key issues they face in delivering and receiving services and support in their respective roles.  This evidenced based approach had identified gaps and helped map areas to further develop, utilising online surveys and data evaluation over 16 months .  This was a critical opportunity for the ICP to have significant impact on people’s lives at a local level and embodied the principle of “nothing about us without us”. 

4.3           Peggy Coles underlined the importance of a data driven approach to accurately reflect the diversity and demographic of the borough where diagnosis of dementia was the second lowest rate in London at 57.6%.  While diagnosis was dependent on self-referral, there needed to be a greater focus on public health messaging and prevention, recognising that dementia was linked to risk factors.  Embedding co-production and the establishment of a dementia partnership board, with representatives from community groups, council and NHS, were the key recommendations.

4.4           Providing brief insights on what were perceived as systemic barriers around dementia diagnosis for black and Asian minority ethnic groups, Jazz Brown acknowledged that there was stigma associated with dementia.  There was a lack of understanding and of safe community spaces where information was accessible.  Previously, community memory outreach groups had achieved a positive success rate with self-referral and diagnosis, but a clinical route was often avoided by choice.  Dr Christopher Hilton confirmed that the provision of dementia services fell within the remit of West London Trust (WLT). He welcomed the report and its recommendations and explained that they would be exploring outreach work with organisations such as Nubian Life. 

4.5           Paula Linan commented that a great deal had been learned about the work of each organisation represented on the Dementia Strategy Task and Finish  Group and added that a collaborative approach would be very positive for those with dementia and their carers, especially in terms of respite care. 

Dr James Cavanagh welcomed the initiative and acknowledged that difficulties in dementia diagnosis were partly attributable to stigma and the lack of effective outreach programmes.  However, the report inferred that the prevalence rate was the rate of diagnosis per year rather than the total number of diagnoses.

ACTION: To amend this within the report

4.6           DI Luxan Thurairatnasingam also welcomed the report and agreed that there was stigma about dementia, that it was easier to overlook as it was associated with old age and that people diagnosed with dementia often became invisible. He described the operational difficulties often experienced in policing in relation to for example, reports of missing people.  He advocated for a long-term plan with a multi-agency partnership approach.

4.7           Jim Grealy commended the report authors for the clarity and clear focus of the report which was inclusive, empathetic and jargon free. He queried the low rate of diagnosis compared to neighbouring boroughs and referenced the anticipated increase of 42% of those with serious dementia by 2030.  The ICP controlled the cost and provision of such services and played an important role in the decision making.  Peggy Coles observed that this was a medical condition for which there was no cure. It was important to focus on the clinical response.  Lisa Redfern concurred that the role of the ICP was critical, and it was confirmed that frailty was a key area which linked to the ICP work on dementia. Dr Hilton added that the strategy would help guide the development of local services and that the ICS was monitoring the rate of diagnosis. 

4.8           Councillor Coleman acknowledged a concern about maintaining a “bottom up” approach. Developing and delivering the aims of the strategy would be guided by a dementia partnership board, and that residents and stakeholders would be integral to the work of the board. The Board discussed representation on the proposed dementia board which could also include a rolling focus group of residents to facilitate greater accountability. It was important that residents were meaningfully involved, and this required careful planning.

RESOLVED

1.      That the Health and Wellbeing Board endorsed the co-produced Hammersmith and Fulham Dementia Strategy between the local Council, the local NHS, the voluntary and community sector, our residents, and businesses.

2.      That the Health and Wellbeing Board supported the proposed establishment of the Dementia Partnership Board, with representation from the local Council, the local NHS, the voluntary sector, residents, and businesses to oversee the implementation and evaluation of the Dementia Strategy, aligned to the work of the ICP.