Dementia strategy published

Health Service Journal version. Are clinics the best way forward? Shouldn't people with dementia be seen at home? Isn't this the history of the development of old age psychiatry in this country? Perhaps history is being reversed.

Good that there's a clinical lead. Problem is that it must remain clinical, not some manager or governance person. There's too much of a divide between managers and professionals in the NHS in general, but maybe having a clinical lead for dementia will help resolve this conflict. But then why just for dementia?

As mentioned previously people with dementia, as opposed to people worrying they have dementia, may not be very good at self-refering. Where's the evidence that early intervention makes any difference? As for psychosis, just because people do worse the later you pick it up, does not necessarily mean that intervening earlier would really make any difference.

I'm not convinced by the strong leadership from the Department of Health idea. They're bureaucrats, aren't they? When did they last see a demented patient? Listen to the professionals.


(To be continued)