The Fife Dementia Strategy: 2010 – 2020 - The Knowledge Network

1.16 The Single Shared Assessment (SSA) was introduced in 2002 as a
result of recommendations made in the Joint Futures Report 8 .
However, due to a number of reasons the SSA has largely been under
continual development and change. Because of this, and due in part to
its lack of fit-for-purpose for many health care workers and in part to the
inability of NHS employees to input or access records created using the
SSA, it has not functioned effectively. Currently very few providers
outside of the Local Authority utilise the full SSA.
1.17 In this Strategy the focus will be on the unique lives of the individuals
living with dementia and their carers in Fife. We recognise that the
success of the Strategy is based on improving local services by refocusing
them on the needs of people, including those affected by
dementia. The issues which are addressed in this document around
the provision of care for people with dementia stems from the
complexity of the condition itself and the individual corresponding need,
and from the organisational complexities which impact services (see
1.14). For example, the development of a single shared care plan
(4.7.2) and more integrated patient record systems (4.1.3) will go some
way in improving communication across organisations, and ensuring all
providers of care have access to information which meets their needs.
Developing the Strategy
1.18 The Fife Dementia Strategy was commissioned by Fife Council Social
Work Services and NHS Fife through the Fife Health and Social Care
Partnership, and has been created in partnership with the University of
Stirling’s Dementia Services Development Centre. Following periods of
research, information collection and consultation with a range of
service providers and users, a Dementia Strategy Working Group was
developed.
1.19 The multi-disciplinary and multi-agency 22 person Dementia Strategy
Working Group used their expertise combined with research and good
practice evidence to develop a series of recommendations. The
Working Group met seven times, welcoming an additional 17 local
experts over the course of the meetings and corresponded multiple
times over email. The Dementia Strategy Working Group membership
can be found in Appendix 3.
1.20 The development of the Fife Dementia Strategy has benefited from the
contributions of service providers and users from across Fife. This
occurred through two formal consultation events, as well as a series of
informal individual and group discussions.
1.21 On 15 July 2009 Fife Council and NHS Fife published a consultation
paper, The Fife Dementia Strategy Consultation Document. The paper
8 Scottish Executive (2000). Report of the Joint Futures Group.
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