Agenda item

To receive and consider the attached report of the Head of Service (Integrated Commissioning, Adults and Health) introducing a verbal update on the citywide Leeds Dementia Strategy.

The report of the Head of Service (Integrated Commissioning, Adults and Health) introduced an update on the citywide Leeds Dementia Strategy.

The Commissioning Lead, Dementia (Adults and Health, LCC) and the Memory Support Worker (Alzheimer’s Society, NHS) introduced the item, and provided the Committee with a PowerPoint presentation. The following information was highlighted:

·  Background information to dementia and its causes. Further information can be found on: www.alzheimers.org.uk

·  Statistics within Outer West with 9 GP practices. There are 533 people diagnosed with dementia aged 65+, and 13 people under the age of 65. The Leeds diagnosis rate is 66.7%.

·  85% of people with dementia have a carer: 650 carers for people with dementia in Outer West. 220 people in Outer West are economically active. There is 90 people in Outer West who have “severe” dementia and 45 people inn Outer West live at home, with unpaid and paid support.

·  An overview of the Living with Dementia in Leeds Strategy and the 6 commissioning priorities for health and social care:

Ø  Service ‘reset’ & recovery from Covid

Ø  Carer support and breaks

Ø  Annual review and care co-ordination

Ø  Demographics, diversity, and emerging needs

Ø  Care quality, complex needs, timely transfers

Ø  End-of-life care and planning ahead

·  Recovery from the pandemic – in February 2020 575 people with a diagnosis from the 9 local GP practices and in August 2022 there were 544 people with a diagnosis. Newly diagnosed people were further on with dementia than before.

·  An overview of the dementia prevention, intervention and care: 2020 report of the Lancet Commission: www.thelancet.com/article/S0140-6736(20)30367-6/fulltext

·  Local support to live with dementia including the Alzheimer’s Society, Carers Leeds – 0113 380 4300 (advance line and Dementia carer team) and Neighbourhood Networks.2

·  The Memory Support Workers are employed by the Alzheimer’s Society and work in teams across the city alongside Community Health staff, Social Workers and with GP practices. Their aim is to be an ongoing named point of contact for people living with dementia and to ensure people can access information, advice, and support. *

·  There is a Dementia carer support group at Pudsey on September 26^th at 10.30 am – 12 pm. This is a recurring event held at Wellbeing centre, Robin Lane, LS28 and available to anyone caring for someone with Dementia or memory problems.

*Referral for a Memory Support Worker – 0113 231 1727, memorysupport.lypft@nhs.net

Dementia Connect support line (includes evening and weekends – 0333 150 3456

Committee Members raised the following key issues:

·  Clarity on the dementia friendly café run by Pudsey and Calverley and Farsley. Approximately 30 people attended the last session, although it was noted that the numbers are not as high pre pandemic.

·  Preventing dementia. It was noted that the new Leeds campaign includes free health coaching, and this will be a part of the mainstream public health offer. It was acknowledged that people shouldn’t be discouraged to play sport and it is believed that dementia is caused by a wider neurological issue.

·  Members requested to receive data of dementia friendly groups and highlighted the importance of identifying barriers to be able to help groups start up again.

·  Concern that GP practices aren’t necessarily connected with residents in the locality. It was confirmed that GP data can be easily extracted and colleagues in public health are able to map people with a diagnosis by postcode – this is typically done on a yearly basis and such information can be accessed.

RESOLVED – To note the contents of the verbal update and presentation.