Oldham memory assessment and treatment service

1. Ask your GP to re-refer you to the memory service - your GP will arrange a blood test and send us your updated medical summary
2. We will contact you to discuss what input you need at this time:

• Telephone review with nurse
• Bookable 1-1 support sessions held at our office
• Follow up appointment with psychiatrist
• Appointment at home where necessary
• Psychological support
• Occupational therapy assessment
• Referral to our specialist groups
• Signposting to local services

3. We will discharge you from memory service once this input is complete

We aim to offer you an appointment with a memory liaison practitioner (a specialist nurse) within three weeks. It can take
longer to access appointments with other clinicians in the team. You may need more than one appointment.

We can offer different types of appointment depending on what you need:

• Telephone review with a memory liaison practitioner

• Bookable 1:1 support and advice sessions (face-to-face)

• Held at our office in Block 4, Southlink Business Park, OL4 1DE
• Available monthly on Tuesdays afternoons and lasting 45 minutes

• Outpatient psychiatry appointment in memory clinic

• Often held at Cherrywood clinic, Royal Oldham Hospital
• Also held at GP surgeries in Failsworth, Glodwick, Saddleworth, Chadderton and Alkrington where this is easier for you to attend

• Review at home

• Arranged where other options are unsuitable e.g. due to mobility
• Usually offered by your memory liaison practitioner

We offer three groups for patients and carers following a dementia diagnosis. These groups are by referral only:

• Brain gym: cognitive stimulation therapy for people with mild-moderate dementia. This group is for patients only.
• Carers group: a carers-only group for sharing experiences, understanding your values and helping to give meaning back to everyday tasks.
• Dementia support and information group: learn from guest speakers, facilitators and each other to improve quality of life and knowledge about dementia. This group is for both patients and carers.

If you have dementia, then we unfortunately expect that your memory and other thinking skills will decline over time. Please contact us if these changes are putting you or your family at any risk or if they are causing any distress.

We do not usually retest you once you have a dementia diagnosis and we will instead focus on your abilities and support needs.

You can ring us on 0161 716 2792 for general signposting advice but we will need a referral from your GP before we can offer you any appointments or treatment.

We have redesigned our service so that we can be more readily accessible to you when you need us most. We will only discharge you if we feel it is safe to do so and this will not prevent you from accessing our service again in future as your needs change.

• Springboard Oldham - A weekly social meeting place where people living with dementia and their carers can seek helpful support in a friendly informal environment.
• Age UK Oldham - many helpful services for people with dementia and their carers.
• Next Steps - support while awaiting your appointment
• Making Space - Making Space offer support to people with dementia to help them stay active and to take part in community activities
• Young dementia network
• Alzheimer’s Society talking point - online support group

We recognise that problems can arise at any time and that we are not always available when you need help.

Our office hours are Monday to Friday 8.30am to 4.30pm and you can call us on 0161 716 2792 and ask to speak to any clinician for advice.  We need a referral from your GP before we can offer you any appointments or treatment.

The Alzheimer’s Society run the Dementia Connect Support line 7 days a week on 0300 222 1122 or you can speak to
an online advisor at www.alzheimers.org.uk/get-support/national-dementia-helpline/live-online-advice

Sudden changes in your presentation are often a sign of an underlying physical health problem such as an infection and
are not typical of most types of dementia. Your GP can screen for infection through a blood or urine test.

The walk-in centre for Oldham is the Integrated Care Centre, New Radcliffe Street, OL1 1NL and is open 8am to 8pm.

Please call 999 in the event of a health emergency.

If you need to contact social services in an emergency outside working hours, call the emergency duty team on 0161 770 6936.

• Social services multi-agency safeguarding hub (MASH)
• Herbert protocol (missing persons form)
• Helpline service
• Lasting power of attorney
• Order hot meals online

• Severe mental impairment benefit
• Attendance allowance (pension age)
• Personal independence payment - PIP (working age)
• Warm homes Oldham

You can register online to take part in dementia research at www.joindementiaresearch.nihr.ac.uk or by calling Alzheimer’s Research UK 0300 111 5 111.

To see current findings, visit https://demruk.org/

• Alzheimer’s society factsheets
• Dementia UK factsheets and information