The NHS has recently focused more of its attention on the diagnosis of dementia in an effort to tackle the number of people in the UK living with the disease undiagnosed, thought to be around 90,000.
More worrying, it’s estimated less than half of the 800,000 people in the UK likely to be suffering from dementia have been formally diagnosed.
The aim of the £5m initiative is to increase the number of diagnoses across the country, with the aim of two thirds of dementia sufferers receiving a formal diagnosis by April 2015. An element of this scheme includes a cash payment to a GP surgery of £55 for every successful dementia diagnosis to support their treatment of the patient.
Research has shown that some doctors have been cautious to give a dementia diagnosis due to a lack of local support and care. The expected increase in the number of dementia patients receiving diagnosis and therefore treatment means the awareness and care of dementia needs to not only be of the highest quality, but be readily available across the UK. Care workers could be expected to upskill in the areas of dementia awareness and treatment, or that individual specialists in dementia care are required.
NCFE has a number of qualifications and standalone units to support learners in their understanding of dementia care. These include spotting the symptoms of dementia, recognising and understanding the behaviour associated with the disease, and a range of techniques to care for and deal with the disease. What’s more, the NCFE Level 2 Certificate in the Principles of Dementia Care (600/6355/3) is fully fundable in the Skills Funding Agency’s (SFA) Simplified Funding Rates catalogue.
At NCFE we believe the diagnosis of dementia is fundamental to the support of individuals suffering from the degenerative disease. We support the NHS’s initiative to better diagnose and treat the disease and believe our qualifications can contribute to this and ensure patients of dementia receive the best care possible.
If you have any questions on our Dementia qualifications or standalone units, you can contact your Centre Support Assistant or call us on 0191 239 8000.
