Supporting people
with dementia
Our main priority is supporting people throughout their entire dementia journey, from prevention and risk reduction to ongoing care. We achieve this by working in partnership with health, social care, third-sector, and voluntary organisations. Everything we do is carefully reviewed, checked, and co-created with people who have lived experience.
Our vision is to enhance the health and well-being of people affected by dementia, regardless of how complex their needs may be. We aim to support them and their carers in maintaining their independence and living a fulfilling life.
Dementia care
Through support from the Welsh Government Regional Integration Fund (formally known as Integrated Care Fund), the RPB (Regional Partnership Board) was able to support initiatives guided by the Cardiff and Vale Dementia Strategy 2018-2028 that facilitates health and social care services working together to support people with dementia. So that our actions could make a clear difference at a local level, we collaborate with representatives from Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, Cardiff Council, Vale Council, and the third and voluntary sector partners, along with people living with dementia and their carers (paid and unpaid).
Dementia Friendly Communities
In March 2012, the Prime Minister launched Dementia Friendly Communities initiative, with a formal target launch of Dementia Friendly Communities in 2015. A Prime Minister’s Challenge on dementia 2020 -gov.uk
Dementia Friendly Communities’ programme was initially developed by the Alzheimer’s Society which facilitates the creation of dementia friendly communities across the UK. The programme aims to engage organisations, local businesses, front-line staff and members of the public to share the responsibility for ensuring people with dementia feel understood, valued and able to contribute to their communities, and enable them to live longer within their own communities.
“I was pleasantly surprised how easy it has been to adapt our practice to make it Dementia Friendly. It’s interesting how just simple education about the requirements of people with dementia can help”
“Becoming a Dementia Friendly business has given us extra confidence to help assist people with dementia and their carers. It has also encouraged engagement from new clients”
Through RPB funding, two dementia friendly coordinators have now (March 2025) supported nearly 12,000 dementia friends and 578 businesses to pledge to become dementia friendly across Cardiff and the Vale.
Dementia Learning & Development Team
It is recognised that patients living with cognitive It is evident that people living with dementia respond well to person-centered care by staff who know them well and who are well trained and confident. To know the individuals a tool is used i.e. biographical tools like “This is me” and “Read about me” through which staff can get to know the needs, choices and wishes of the individual, this information is vital to translating care in the way people choose.
Unpaid carers play a vital role in supporting individual living with dementia. But they need to have all information, advice and signposting in a timely manner . Unpaid carers and people living with dementia help shape the care and training to make it more dementia conducive. Unpaid carers can also play a key role in help completing Biographical tool for paid staff to be aware of.
Whoever you are you, if you want to understand more about living with dementia or caring for someone with dementia please contact the Dementia Learning and Development Team at [email protected]
Funding was used for a Positive Approaches to Care (PAC) certified, Dementia Care training team to train colleagues in primary care who review patients in their local area to achieve the competencies outlined within the Good Work Framework for Wales. Good Work Framework for Wales. Additional training, competency and confidence of the staff in Cardiff and vale is supported by Learning and development team.
Partnership working to Support those living with dementia
Assessment and Diagnosis
This has resulted in improved rates of dementia diagnosis in Cardiff and the Vale. but more than that, has provided a safer environment, closer to home that many vulnerable patients will benefit from when being diagnosed with a life-changing condition. The feedback from patients reviewed in the GP clinics has been resoundingly positive.
In addition, funding has also used to develop the role of the memory link worker now known as dementia connector. Dementia connector is a single-point contact that is allocated to the individual at the time of diagnosis. This contact help individuals to help navigate the complex health and social care system in a timely manner hence help reduce stress and distress. We currently have 11.8 WTE of Dementia connectors that are bases within Memory team and are public facing. These individuals have come from various backgrounds in health and social care. They work within different localities within Cardiff and the Vale as per GP practice, helping them to develop close working relationships with GP’s, local services and allied health care professionals.
GP Led Memory Assessment Clinics:
Thanks to the funding provided by Welsh Government a collaboration led Dr. Cherry Shute. Locum Consultant Geriatrician within the memory team at Llandough Hospital and Dr. Keziah Maizey, A GP with specialist interest in Memory based in Llandaff North Medical Centre to deliver a unique, pioneering system to improve the experiences of those living with dementia and their loved ones.
How the funding was used:
- Training eight General Practitioners to develop a specialist interest in memory
- Building capacity in local clinics to review circa 700 patients per annum
- Recruiting eight memory link workers, to work closely between primary and secondary care services making an average 5,400 contacts with patients a year. Reducing burden on already stretched primary care services and the risk of crisis admissions
- 110 staff received skills training Funding occupational, speech and language therapists and dieticians with cognition interest within the Community Resource Team in Cardiff and the Vale Community Resource Service.
“I constantly receive positive verbal feedback from patients and their carers about the benefits of having memory clinics in GP practices. They find it less intimidating, more accessible for those with disabilities”. – local GP
“One of the best training sessions I have attended, it helped me think about what the person living with dementia is experiencing”. – Local GP
Dementia Care Mapping
In parallel, the dementia care mapping (DCM) activity of the team provides an evidenced-based approach to collecting information on the lived experience of dementia. The information is then shared with others to encourage critical reflection on practice, and to develop and improve person centred care across the workforce.
Our Priorities
DECHRAU’N DDA
STARTING WELL
We want every child in Cardiff and Vale to have the opportunity to thrive. Our work focuses on children in vulnerable situations and the services that support them.
HENEIDDIO’N DDA
AGEING WELL
We know how hard it can be to find help when people need it the most. We want to make sure there is community support to help people stay as healthy as possible so they can carry on doing the things that matter most to them.
BYW’N DDA
LIVING WELL
As a Partnership we have worked together with people with a learning disability, their families, carers and the third and independent sector to produce a clear direction for the planning and delivery of adult learning disability services across the region over the next five years.
Case Studies
Alison Law
Improvement and Development Manager, Joint Commissioning
- Project management across the partnership to enable the alignment and joint commissioning of services, which includes shaping the market, regional commissioning strategies, contracting and quality assurance.
- Programme manager for ICF Capital fund