Dementia and older people’s mental health
Dementia and older people’s mental health
Video appointments
Community team
The dementia and older people's mental health community team supports the family and carers of people referred to the service and signposts services that might offer help within the community.
The dementia and older people's mental health community team offers support to people with dementia or complex mental health needs while they are in the community and can be accessed through the community mental health teams.
The dementia and older people's mental health community team has community mental health teams that are based across the county providing locally based services supporting people in their own homes and in a variety of care settings. The community services accept referrals from primary care such as a GP, district nurse, specialist service, social care and voluntary services. Self referrals can be made, although individuals are encouraged to make links with their GP.
We have a wide remit providing assessment and treatment services to people with dementia and those with severe mental health problems and complex physical health needs. We work closely with the wider health community, social care providers and voluntary sector in helping to maintain people's independence and their mental health.
Contact us
To find out which community team covers the area where you live, call the Bodmin Hospital switchboard on 01208 251 300.
Community mental health team bases are open, Monday to Friday, 8.45am and 5.15pm.
- Basset unit : 01209 318 960
- Caradon: 01579 373 737
- Carrick: 01872 246 800
- North Cornwall: 01208 834 300
- Penwith: 01736 571 000
- Restormel: 01726 873 377
Memory Service
The Memory Service provides expert assessment to you if you are worried about your memory or think you may have dementia.
Early assessment and diagnosis is crucial when identifying the right treatment for you and ensuring our patients receive the treatment and support they need to maintain a good quality of life.
The service is run by specially trained memory assessment practitioners which includes nurses, doctors and occupational therapists. They will use a variety of assessment tools to measure different aspects of a patient's cognitive function, such as how they perceive, register, store, retrieve and use information. They are also able to organise brain scans which may help diagnosis and rule out any other causes of memory loss.
If you are diagnosed with a form of dementia, you will receive a personalised care plan. We will also establish links with other services, which may include groups offering brain training exercises known as cognitive stimulation. The service will also provide post-diagnosis counselling and support to patients and their family.
If you are worried about your memory, visit your GP, who will decide whether you would benefit from a specialist memory assessment either in a memory clinic or your own home. You can also refer yourself to the memory assessment service.
Contact us
To find the location of your nearest memory clinic, call 01208 251 300.
Alternatively you can contact our mental health teams in the following towns:
- Bodmin 01208 834 300
- Falmouth 01872 221 000
- Helston 01209 881 888
- Liskeard 01579 373 737
- Newquay 01726 873 377
- Penzance 01736 571 000
- Redruth 01209 318 960 or 01209 318 961
- St Austell 01726 873 377
Resources
Primary care practitioners
Primary care dementia practitioners work across most of Cornwall. The main purpose of their role is to support people who have dementia and their families.
They work very closely with GPs to assess people's needs and those of their carer, making referrals to other services as needed. Primary care dementia practitioners will remain in touch with the person and their family from initial diagnosis until the person passes away.
They come from a range of background and each is an expert in dementia care. With their specialist knowledge they can quickly problem-solve and put solutions in place for people thereby avoiding crisis's, preventing admissions to care homes or a hospital. No-one is discharged from the practitioner's case load. Their support continues throughout the person's journey.
The practitioner also have a role to play in raising awareness of dementia in the community. One of the practitioners has been working with students from Penair School to create life story books.
Contact us
To contact a primary care practitioners contact information please ask your GP.
Resources
- Dementia Together poster (PDF, 192 KB).
Dementia and Older People’s Mental Health Liaison Service
Contact your local dementia liaison nurse by calling our main switchboard on 01208 251 300.
About the team
The team is based at Royal Cornwall Hospital, Treliske. The service is managed by a dementia and older people's mental health clinical lead.
We provide a service to hospital sites throughout west and mid Cornwall. We are available Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.
The multi-disciplinary team is made up of:
- registered mental health nurses
- occupational therapist
- a support worker
- an advanced clinical practitioner
- a consultant psychiatrist
We see patients:
- who are confused due to suspected or known dementia, of any age
- with functional mental illness who are 75 years or over
What we do
The service is an essential component of the Dementia and Older People's Mental Health Team.
We work with patients with many different mental health problems, such as:
- concern about memory
- patients living with dementia with complex needs
- patients experiencing delirium with complex needs and behaviours
- problems with worry, stress or depression and suicidal ideas
- medically unexplained physical health problems
- psychosis
The service aims to provide comprehensive triage, advice and support. We carry out a face to face mental health assessment of the patient. As well as management advice to the referring team.
We strive to communicate effectively with all those involved in the persons' care including family members. Our advice is based upon all relevant information available regarding the patient's presentation and background history.
This is with a view to:
- providing advice and guidance on mental health nursing and care, and treatment options including appropriate use of psychotropic medication, taking into account local policy and only with the support of the doctors in the multi-disciplinary team
- ensuring that a patient's mental health issues do not unnecessarily contribute to prolonged hospital admissions
- improving detection and treatment of pain and other physical factors that may contribute to confusion and behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia
- offering advice and support to carers
- contributing to prompt and effective discharge planning for patients with mental health needs in liaison with the onward care team
- legal and national frameworks such as the Mental Health and Mental Capacity Acts, including best interests consideration, deprivation of liberty safeguards and processes around safeguarding of vulnerable adults
In providing ongoing assessment and treatment whilst the patient remains in the hospital, we work collaboratively with health care professionals in the general hospital setting to meet the needs of the patient and promote patient centred care. During this time, hospital wards clinicians have overall responsibility for the patients' care until discharge.
The team also support complex discharge planning. Where appropriate, we also arrange community follow-up. If needed, we can also carry out a follow-up at home on discharge. After discharge, the patients GP (or other agencies) will be notified by way of an assessment letter to ensure continuity of care.
Referrals
We accept referrals from professionals in health and social care.
Referrals to the service should be completed via Maxims (internal hospital referral system). Select 'psychiatric liaison DOMPH'.
If refers do not have access to Maxims, referrals should be made using the team referral form. Email completed referrals forms to the team.
We aim to make an initial triage and provide feedback by the end of the following working day.
For emergency department referrals, we aim to contact the same day. Call 01872 252 930 if you have any questions about referrals, or if you have an urgent referral.