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

The Dementia Advisor posts will each include part time administrative support
(0.5 FTE).
In order to prevent variable service use from occurring with the introduction of
the Dementia Advisor, all physicians involved in the diagnosis of dementia will
be well-versed on the service and how it can be accessed. Part of the
Coordinators post will be to meet with local health and social care providers in
the area they cover, to inform them of their post and to identify ways they can
work together and provide services for people with dementia most effectively.
The scope of the post will be broad and flexible, allowing the post holder to
work in the most effective way to improve dementia services.
As General Practitioners (GPs) are often the point of entry for a person with
suspected dementia and are informed of every one of their patients who
receives a diagnosis, the Coordinator will primarily work with them to promote
awareness and understanding of dementia, and to ensure all individuals with
a diagnosis are referred on to their service.
All people who are diagnosed with dementia will be offered a referral to the
Dementia Advisor from their GP as the primary point of referral. Referrals will
be made immediately following diagnosis. The Advisor will remain with the
person with dementia and their carers throughout the duration of their illness.
Support and contact will be individualised and more intense during the first 10-
12 weeks following diagnosis and in agreement with the service users wishes,
and will be gradually reduced. The support will remain available throughout
the duration of their condition, and the carer and person with dementia can
contact their Coordinator directly in the future.
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