Our memory service has once again been approved by the Royal College of Psychiatrists – with assessors praising the team and their response to Covid-19.
The report praised the service on their flexibility and dedication which saw the team adapt to new ways of working during the pandemic.
Service users and carers also felt that they had been supported well, with staff educating them on the use of tablets and video conferencing software such as Zoom.
There was also acclaim for the service’s staff development and training systems – with the ‘grow your own’ approach, including the use of apprenticeships and assistants, also commended.
Penny Lane, clinical lead for the memory service, said: “Everyone in the memory team deserves all the praise for their ongoing hard work and commitment to patients.”
“I’d like to thank them for the dedication they all show each and every day.”
The Memory Services National Accreditation Programme, or MSNAP, is the college’s accreditation network for services that assess, diagnose and treat dementia in the UK.
As well as meeting the required scores for the accreditation’s type 1 and type 2 standards, which memory services would be expected to meet, the team also met all type 3 standards – standards that are ‘aspirational and not the direct responsibility of the service.
The memory service supports individuals through a dementia diagnosis.
They look to meet their emotional needs through this journey, helping them to live well, whilst providing mental health support for behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia.
If you’re worried about your memory, please contact your GP. They will speak to you about a referral to the service. If you’re worried about someone else’s memory problems, encourage them to speak to their GP. It may be helpful if you go along with them. A member of the memory team will then contact you to arrange a visit within ten working days.