Summary
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has issued a draft quality standard on dementia prevention, and the assessment, management and health and social care support for persons living with dementia. It is expected to help drive improvements in terms of: dementia diagnosis rates; referral waiting times; reducing hospital admissions; alternative prescriptions for behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD); reducing avoidable care home admissions; reducing the length of hospital stay; and the quality of life post-diagnosis, both for patients and their unpaid carers. Quality statements comprise [quotation]:
Quality Statement 1: Adults accessing behaviour change interventions and programmes are informed that the risk of developing dementia can be reduced by making lifestyle changes.
Quality Statement 2: Adults with suspected dementia are referred to a specialist dementia diagnostic service.
Quality Statement 3: Adults with dementia have a named care coordinator.
Quality Statement 4: Adults with dementia are given a choice of activities to promote wellbeing, tailored to their preferences.
Quality Statement 5: Adults with dementia have a structured assessment before starting non-pharmacological or pharmacological treatment for distress.
Quality Statement 6: Adults with dementia have the opportunity to discuss advance care planning at diagnosis and at each care review.
Quality Statement 7: Carers of adults with dementia are offered education and skills training.
Reference
Dementia: NICE quality standard. Draft for consultation. London: National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), January 29th 2019.
