Dementia: new educational approaches

The CD-ROM Dementia: diagnosis and management in primary care and the decision support protocols are based on the outcomes of a unique three-year randomised controlled trial of educational interventions.

The new CD-ROM is intended to improve the diagnosis and support of people with dementia in primary care. It will help the development of the National Service Framework for Older People's milestone for a shared care protocol for dementia, contribute to GPs' appraisal and act as a training tool for registrars.

Dementia: diagnosis and management in primary care has been sent to all practice managers in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland. It contains:

• an interactive tutorial on dementia diagnosis and management
• typical case histories of possible dementia
• video clips of the experience of people with dementia and their carers
• tools to help in diagnosis and care assessment
• outlines of evidence based research into primary care effectiveness.

The evidenced based decision support protocols, produced by the Society and EMIS, are designed for use in the doctor's consultation when dealing with patients suspected with Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia. They are intended to help diagnose the early stages of possible dementia.

The five protocols cover:

• dementia diagnosis
• dementia review
• dementia follow-up, containing an assessment of needs template and guidance on disclosure of the diagnosis
• dementia problems
• carer strain index.

The protocols have been incorporated into unique decision support software developed by a multidisciplinary team of researchers and practitioners led by Professor Murna Downs of Bradford University and Dr Steve Iliffe, Reader in General Practice at University College London. 

Dr Iliffe said:

'Now we have a clinical tool that not only assists with the complex task of diagnosis but also allows systematic case management and problem solving with patients with dementia. The knowledge is evidence-based, and we know from the randomised-controlled trial that it works.

Running this decision support software will help us help our patients and demonstrate implementation of key components of the NSF for older people.'

Notes for editors

• The Alzheimer's Society is the UK's leading care and research charity for people with dementia and their carers.
• Over 700,000 people in the UK have dementia. More than half have Alzheimer's disease.
• Dementia affects one in 20 people over the age of 65 and one in five over the age of 80.
• There are 18,500 people in the UK under the age of 65 with dementia.
• For information and advice on Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia call the Alzheimer's Society national helpline on 0845 300 0336.
• Our website address is: http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/