Dementia Support Line
Norfolk and Suffolk Dementia Conference
The Norfolk and Suffolk Dementia Conference brought together key decision makers, practitioners, researchers, carers, experts by experience – people with lived experience of dementia – who understand the urgent necessity of tackling the disease, from across Norfolk and Suffolk.
Event Information
Date: Wednesday 18 September 2024
Time: 9:00am - 3:30pm - including lunch and networking opportunities
Location: The King’s Centre, King Street, Norwich, NR1 1PH
Cost: Free to attend
Event Slides
View the 'My diagnosis, my future' slides from the conference presentation.
About the conference
In the UK, 1.4 million people are expected to be living with dementia by 2040; it’s the biggest health and care issue of our time.
Yet 1 in 3 people living with dementia do not have a diagnosis and are facing dementia alone without access to vital care, support and treatments.
With new disease-modifying drugs on the horizon there is hope, but this can only be realised with greater capacity and readiness within health and social care systems to meet the challenges posed by dementia – and this begins with improving diagnosis rates.
‘My Diagnosis, My Future’ will bring together key decision makers, practitioners, researchers, carers and experts by experience – people living with dementia – who understand the urgent necessity of tackling the disease, from across Norfolk and Suffolk.
Join us to make your voice heard, as we discuss the journey from the first signs of memory loss to a post-diagnosis future.
Lunch and refreshments will be provided, along with the opportunity to meet others committed to a world where dementia no longer devastates lives.
A full agenda and speakers will be shared closer to the time.
How much does the event cost?
The conference is free to attend.
What are the start and finish times of the event?
9:00am - 3:30pm - including lunch and networking opportunities.
Is there a dress code for the conference?
The dress code for the conference will be smart/casual.
Can I expense my travel?
We regret that we are unable to cover any travel expenses.
Is lunch included?
Yes, lunch and refreshments will be served at the appropriate times. You will be asked for any dietary requirements when you register for the conference.
What is the address of the conference?
The King’s Centre, King Street, Norwich, NR1 1PH
Is there parking on-site?
Unfortunately, there are very limited parking facilities at The King's Centre, however there are many city centre car parks within easy walking distance.
We recommend Norwich Park & Ride which has six different car park locations around the outskirts of the city. Park & Ride buses stop at Norwich Bus Station, just 12 minutes’ walk away. Alternatively, you can download a helpful PDF of Norwich City Centre Car Parks/Park & Ride locations.
Is there an option to join online?
This conference is in-person only, and it is not possible to join online. If you are a person with lived experience of dementia who would like to discuss flexible attendance options with us, you can indicate this in the registration form.
I have accessibility requirements, can you help?
Please ensure you indicate your requirements when registering for the event and we will accommodate these on the day.
Is there a deadline for requesting Sign Language interpretation?
We're unable of offer BSL interpreters if we have any requests come through later than 09:00 on Wednesday 4th September. This is due to the time it takes to get a BSL interpreter in place.
Will there be a quiet room during the conference?
Yes, there will be a quiet room to use which will be clearly signposted. Delegates will be advised the location of the quiet room on arrival at the conference.
Will there be a space for me to breastfeed during the conference?
Yes, there will be a quiet room for you to use. Please let us know when you arrive at the conference so we can direct you to the room.
Will there be a space for me to pray during the conference?
Yes, there will be a quiet room for you to use. Please let us know when you arrive at the conference so we can direct you to the room.
Do you accept Guide Dogs?
Yes, the venue accepts guide dogs.
Is Wi-fi available at the conference?
Yes, you will be given the wi-fi network and access password on arrival.
Will there be wheelchair access?
Yes, there is wheelchair access and a lift available to all floors. The event takes place on the ground floor.
Will I be able to get a copy of presentations?
We will aim to get a copy of presentations from each speaker to be available after the event. This will be at the discretion of the speaker, therefore we cannot guarantee that all will be available.
Can I amend/cancel my booking after completion?
Yes, please email [email protected] to amend or cancel your booking. We will be running a waiting list for the event so are grateful for as much notice as possible if you need to cancel your place, so we can offer it to another attendee.
08:45 - 09:15 - Registration and refreshments
09:15 - 09:25 - Welcome, Dirck Geary, Chair of the Board of Trustees at So... Group and Davina Hellon, Local Services Manager, Alzheimer’s Society
09:25 - 09:45 - The dementia landscape in 2024 – findings from the latest All-Party Parliamentary Report, Olatomide Fadipe, Local Systems Influencing Officer, Alzheimer’s Society
09:45 - 10:30 - Early signs of memory loss: what ‘good’ looks like in GP assessment, Dr Amer Sana, Dementia GP Fellow, Taverham Surgery and Experts by experience: Tina, Graham, Roger, Jan and Danny’s stories, in conversation with Melanie Stevenson, Dementia Advisor, Alzheimer’s Society.
10:30 - 11:15 - Best practice in memory assessment and how this can be achieved, Dr Neil Ashford, Consultant Psychiatrist, Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust and Expert by experience: Graham, Roger, Howard, Shelly, and George’s stories, in conversation with Melanie Stevenson, Dementia Advisor, Alzheimer’s Society and Sally Hilburn, Dementia Advisor, Alzheimer’s Society.
11:15 - 11:45 - Coffee Break, Exhibition
11:45 - 12:25 - Opportunities for involvement in research after diagnosis, Claire Rischmiller, Lead Research Nurse, Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust, Professor Chris Fox, Professor of Clinical Psychiatry, University of Exeter, and Honorary Consultant Psychiatrist, Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust and Juniper West, Research Development Lead, Older People's Services, Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust
12:25 - 12:50- My Diagnosis: The impact of receiving a dementia diagnosis and how this can be improved, Experts by experience: Members of the So... Group which supports people living with dementia, and their carers. Caroline and Terry’s, Mavis and David’s and Jean and Roger’s stories, in conversation with Russell Simpson, Dementia Advisor, Alzheimer’s Society.
12:50 - 13:40- Lunch, networking and exhibition stands
13:40 - 13:50 - Post-lunch energiser, Led by Peter Davis, Alzheimer's Society supporter
13:50 - 14:30 - My Future: Advance planning and advancements in dementia research, Simon Wheeler, Senior Knowledge Officer, Alzheimer’s Society, Hannah Churchill, Research Communications Manager, Alzheimer's Society and Experts by experience: Carol, Roger, Howard and Shelly and Jan and Danny's stories, in conversation with Cheryl Day, Dementia Advisor, Alzheimer’s Society and Melanie Stevenson, Dementia Advisor, Alzheimer's Society
14:30 - 14:45 - Coffee Break, Exhibition
14:45 - 14:50 - Special presentation to our VIP guests
14:50 - 15:20 - My Diagnosis, My Future: Q&A session, Dirck Geary, Chair of the Board of Trustees at So…Group, Claire Rischmiller, Lead Research Nurse, Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust, Professor Chris Fox, Professor of Clinical Psychiatry, University of Exeter, and Honorary Consultant Psychiatrist, Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust, Simon Wheeler, Senior Knowledge Officer, Alzheimer’s Society, Hannah Churchill, Research Communications Manager, Alzheimer’s Society, Chaired by Davina Hellon, Local Services Manager, Alzheimer’s Society
15:30 - Event close, Debbie Foster, Regional Manager, Local Services, Alzheimer’s Society plus a special musical performance by Will McKee, Dementia Advisor.