SoEPS/18/405 - Dementia Guide Services - NHS High Weald Lewes Havens CCG

As part of the CCG's vision to transform Dementia Care Services, a new role was developed to support patients and carers, through their whole journey with a diagnosis of Dementia. The service is currently provided by East Sussex County Council (Carers Engagement and Respite Service) on an interim arrangement. For this reason, the CCG will need to initiate an open procurement process to secure the service with a Provider from October 2018.

Many of you will be aware that there are different national models for providing support at different tiers of intensity, from low level information and signposting, to more comprehensive emotional and practical support. The Dementia Guide role is intended to span the whole journey with Dementia offering low level information, emotional support and practical help, such as attending GP Annual Reviews with the patient and Carer or accompanying the person to their first Memory Café session. It does not include domestic tasks or personal care. The Dementia Guide Service also provides an important administrative and coordinating function of managing referrals to Community Wellbeing Services and arranging transport, for those that need it, within The Dementia Golden Ticket model of care.

The Carers Engagement and Respite Service is willing to share its experience of what's worked, what's been operationally challenging and what could be improved. Colleagues from the CCG will also be in attendance to convey the commissioning intentions for this service going forward.

In recent years, there has been a growing market appetite to provide support to families affected by a diagnosis of dementia, which is why we've included you in this invitation. This event is not part of the formal procurement process, but it is an opportunity to hear about the service currently being delivered and the aspirations going forward, in case you'd like to contribute to its developmental thinking and/or consider whether your organisation may be in a position to submit a Tender for the service. We would envisage initiating the procurement process in March 2018, in order for the service to launch in October 2018 but these timescales may vary.

The event will be held on Friday 23 February from 14.30 to 16.30. The venue will be confirmed when we have final numbers but is likely to be in Lewes or Uckfield.

This being the case please respond as soon as possible to

James Hatch - Engagement Officer - james.hatch@nhs.net