Mental health and wellbeing in primary care services: resources

24. Dementia Support Organisations

24.1 Dementia Support Organisations

A number of organisations such as NHS Education for Scotland, Scottish Social Services Council, Alzheimer Scotland (Scotland’s national dementia charity), About Dementia (part of Age Scotland) and Healthcare Improvement Scotland have produced online digital publications and resources.

These publications and resources are aimed at providing a wide range of information relating to dementia including care and support for the condition, transport, housing, human rights and technology with people living with dementia, their families and carers, health and social care staff and the general public.

A key area of support for all people living with dementia in Scotland is post-diagnostic support, which is provided for up to one year following a formal diagnosis.

24.2 Rethink Dementia

Rethink Dementia is a new national Scottish Government and COSLA campaign. Developed in collaboration with the members of the National Dementia Lived Experience Panel, the campaign encourages people to ‘Rethink Dementia’ as evidence shows social contact can help alleviate some symptoms commonly associated with dementia and help them stay well for longer. By maintaining contact with friends or loved ones living with a dementia diagnosis and doing the things we’ve always done with them, we can all make a difference. You can find out more at nhsinform.scot/ RethinkDementia.

24.3 NHS Education for Scotland

NHS Education for Scotland provide educational resources and training for staff working at the Informed, Skilled, Enhanced and Expertise Practice Levels as outlined in Promoting Excellence: A framework for all health and social services staff working with people with dementia.

This framework was developed by NES and the Scottish Social Services Council to outline the knowledge and skills required of all staff who come into contact with people living with dementia, their families and carers, within their role.

24.4 Scottish Social Services Council

Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) are the regulator for the social work, social care and children and young people workforce in Scotland. They also help support dementia learning in the workforce by developing and delivering different learning resources and activities.

Making use of the Promoting Excellence framework, SSSC help staff in social services understand the framework and how they use it to support dementia learning and practice by embedding it into their organisation’s learning culture.

SSSC work closely with NHS Education for Scotland and organise events, masterclasses, dementia specialist improvement leads, Dementia Champion programmes and provide training resources through their learning zone.

24.5 Alzheimer Scotland

Alzheimer Scotland is Scotland’s national dementia charity, providing support and information to people with dementia, their carers and families.

Alzheimer Scotland have Dementia Resource Centres in 25 different locations across Scotland. These centres provide a safe and friendly environment for people with dementia and their carers to visit and take part in a wide variety of activity groups.

The charity also provide a 24 hour Freephone Dementia Helpline which provides information and emotional support to people with dementia, carers, families, friends and professionals. Additionally, there is a network of Dementia Advisors employed by Alzheimer Scotland who work in local communities to support people with a diagnosis by giving advice and information.

24.6 About Dementia

Age Scotland About Dementia offer a range of services for people who want to increase their awareness of dementia and how to support people living with it, understanding and realising rights as a carer, and getting involved in shaping policy and campaigns.

About Dementia launched in 2019, following funding from the Life Changes Trust. Since then, they have been working alongside people living with dementia, unpaid carers and partner organisations to make a meaningful impact in influencing policy and practice.

Since 2022, About Dementia has worked in partnership with the Scottish Government, receiving funding to deliver multiple grant programmes aimed at supporting grassroots activity and peer-to-peer grant funding. This includes delivering funding to support Dementia Friendly Communities and Meeting Centres across Scotland. The Meeting Centres strand of funding was set up to facilitate the development of a national network of Meeting Centres across Scotland.

24.7 Healthcare Improvement Scotland

Healthcare Improvement Scotland have been working with health and social care dementia services to deliver dementia improvement programmes since 2016. Their work sets out to support the New Dementia Strategy for Scotland: Everyone’s story.

Healthcare Improvement Scotland have a number of Dementia Improvement Programmes which set out to improve access to and quality of post-diagnostic support, care co-ordination in the community and hospital care for people living with dementia.

24.8 Other Dementia Support organisations

There are also several support organisations which can provide practical and emotional support to those who care for someone living with dementia, including Carers Scotland, Carer Positive the standard for employers in creating supportive working environment for carers, Shared Care Scotland and Carers Trust Scotland.