Joint emergency service commitment to unite against dementia

police fire rescue ambulances daw2017

Three national organisations have signed up to unite against dementia with the charity Alzheimer’s Society.

The Association of Ambulance Chief Executives (AACE), which our CEO Robert Morton is a member of, has teamed up with equivalent police and fire groups to sign a strategic commitment to work towards being dementia friendly organisations across the UK, as part of Dementia Awareness Week which finishes today (Saturday, 20th May).

It will help ensure services like ours and our police and fire colleagues deliver dementia-friendly services and processes to people who come into contact with us.

Following the official launch on Thursday between AACE, the National Fire Chiefs’ Council (NFCC) and the National Police Chief’s Council (NPCC), Robert will sign a localised commitment which also upholds our recently-published Dementia Strategy. We aim to be dementia friendly within two years, and training staff and volunteers in every team to reach this ambition, and you can read more about it here.

This week’s commitment from emergency services will help support people living with dementia and those caring for people living with dementia in a more cohesive way and was signed by Will Hancock from South Central Ambulance Service, Chief Fire Officer Roy Wilsher, Chair of the NFCC, and Deputy Chief Constable Janette McCormick, NPCC’s Lead for Disability.

Robert said: “We all want to provide best possible care for those living with dementia, and in the East we value the contributions our police and fire colleagues can give us in seeing through not just this commitment, but supporting us in delivering our Dementia Strategy which is driven by our Dementia Lead Duncan Moore and Medical Director Mark Patten.

“The people affected by this condition should expect nothing but the best attention and service from all of us, and we fundamentally believe that using best practice guidelines will help to ensure that we are all offering better care, support and understanding to those who are potentially suffering alone.”

Rob Burley, Director of Campaigns and Partnerships at Alzheimer’s Society, said: “Dementia is one of the greatest challenges we face in society today – it’s set to be the 21st century’s biggest killer, with someone developing the condition every three minutes.

“Yet at Alzheimer’s Society we hear day in, day out that people with dementia often feel – and are – misunderstood, marginalised and isolated. With the right support and understanding, they can continue to live fulfilling lives and make a contribution.

“All individuals, organisations and communities have a part to play in tackling the devastating impact of dementia, so we’re thrilled to have worked with AACE to launch the Emergency Services Commitment.”

The AACE is a membership organisation providing ambulance services with a central body that supports, coordinates and implements nationally-agreed policy. The primary focus is the ongoing development of the UK ambulance service and the improvement of patient care. More information is available at www.aace.org.uk.

Published 21st May, 2017

 

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