Role of GPs

Living well with dementia

GPs and primary health care teams, and health and social care workers in the community have key role in enabling people with dementia, and their carers/families to live well, by

  • understanding the experience of people with dementia in the different phases of the dementia journey, and the experience of carers/families;
  • promoting people’s independence, and their right to make informed choices;
  • ensuring people have easy access to the right support at the right point;
  • minimizing unnecessary interventions and preventing physical and mental health crises – for both the person with dementia and their carers/families;
  • taking into account current needs, and thinking ahead and planning for future needs;
  • mainstreaming dementia in local primary health and community services;
  • promoting inclusion regardless of diagnosis;
  • making best use of resources; (Minghella, E. and Schneider, K., 2011)

What this means for primary health care and community services

  • Staff are trained in dementia awareness.
  • People are confident that their GP or primary health care worker has taken their concerns seriously, understanding the nature and cause of memory problems, and referring patients quickly for an assessment if needed;
  • Access the Dementia Workforce Development Portal (External link)

Better outcomes

  • Diagnosis, particularly early diagnosis can help to achieve better outcomes for people with dementia, and their carers/families. Benefits of an early diagnosis include,
    • an improved quality of life (Banarjee, 2007)
    • delayed transition to care homes (Mittelman et al, 2007)
    • opportunities to prescribe cholinesterase inhibitors (NICE, 2006)
    • opportunities to address any associated anxiety and depression (NICE, 2006)
    • people can make adjustments and plan for the future
  • carers/families benefit from early support, guidance and education
  • better care co-ordination, enabling people to live longer at home;
  • people can access a range of information and guidance in the community about memory problems, and resources to support them and their carers/families;
  • opportunities for health promotion: GPs/primary health care workers work with people to help them to stay well and live well;(Minghella, E. and Schneider, K., 2011)
  • Read more about recognition and screening
  • View the NICE Dementia Quality Standards 1, 2 and 3

References

  • Banerjee, S. (2007). The development of a new measure of health related quality of life for people with dementia — DEMQOL – use in research and clinical practice. Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia, 3(3), 116-171.
  • Minghella, E. and Schneider, K. (2011) Commissioning Framework for Dementia, Dementia Commissioning Pack. London, Department of Health. View this document
  • Mittelman, M. S. et al (2007) Preserving health of Alzheimer caregivers: Impact of a spouse caregiver intervention. American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry 15:780–789, doi:10.1097/JGP.0b013e31805d858a.
  • National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence and Social Care Institute for Excellence (2006). Dementia: The NICE/SCIE guideline on Supporting People with Dementia and their Carers in Health and Social Care. London, NICE. View this document