The Memory Assessment Service at North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare Trust has recently completed the Memory Services National Accreditation Programme (MSNAP). This is the team’s third accreditation for their services and they are now a fully accredited MSNAP service.
Our Memory Assessment Service at Combined is based across two sites, The Lymebrook Centre and The Eaves at Marrow House. The focus of these services is the assessment and diagnosis of dementia as well as facilitating a clear pathway for service users with memory issues.
The Memory Assessment Service is managed by Debbie Scragg and the team is made up of several consultants, nurse practioners/memory nurse practioners, as well as an occupational therapist, a triage nurse and a clinical support worker. The entire team has worked over three months to achieve this standard and have received a certificate of accreditation from the Royal College of Psychiatrists, as well as a commendation for their Sustainable Mental Health Service.
Debbie Scragg, Service Manager for the Memory Assessment Service is proud of the team’s achievement:
“We are really proud to receive the accreditation. As a team we feel we represent the Trust and MSNAP standards and values in delivering our care and reaching out to people concerned about a memory issue. We have seen an increase in our referrals which is positive for us and we continue to adapt and respond to these pressures.”
A key principle for the Memory Assessment Service is to empower service users, care givers and the local community with information to support those with dementia to make their own choices and to continue to live well. One of the ways Combined’s Memory Assessment Service has been doing this is through working with the Alzheimer’s Society who provide ongoing support and advice beyond diagnosis for people affected by dementia. Working in collaboration, the Memory Assessment Service and the Alzheimer’s Society have been running Primary Care Network events to improve the gap between primary care and memory services and raising awareness of early assessment of a memory concern.
Congratulations to Debbie and the team for this substantial piece of work and for becoming a fully accredited service through the MSNAP.
