NICE updates guideline on dementia for first time in 10 years

This is the first time the guideline has been updated in 10 years, and acts as a reference for best practice for all those working in the health and social care field, including GPs, and social workers.

Changes to the guideline include:

• Additional face-to-face training to staff that provide care or support to people with dementia.
• Taking an additional history at the point of initial assessment from someone who knows the person in question well.
• Making people with dementia aware of the research they could take part in.

Sally Copley, Director of Policy, Campaigns and Partnerships at Alzheimer’s Society, says:

'With one person developing dementia every three minutes in the UK, it is vital we prioritise dementia care. This is the first update to the NICE guideline in ten years, so it’s encouraging to see the steps it’s taking to ensure the needs and rights of people with dementia are met.

'However, the guideline is just a starting point. What we need now is support to implement these recommendations. Take training as an example - a third of homecare workers currently have no dementia training, resulting in inadequate care for many people with dementia. The guideline alone can’t change this, we’ll need to see significant investment to improve care quality, when the Government announces its plans for social care reform in the autumn.

'With diagnoses on the rise, and 1 million due to have dementia by 2021, all health and social care professionals must be properly equipped to support people with dementia at every stage.'