Exeter Devon Memory Service achieves national accreditation for excellence in dementia care
The Exeter Devon Memory Service (DMS) - which supports patients across Exeter, East Devon and Mid Devon - has been officially accredited by the Memory Services National Accreditation Programme (MSNAP). This recognition is nationally regarded as a mark of excellence in dementia and memory care.
This achievement highlights the commitment to delivering safe, effective and compassionate care for individuals and families affected by memory-related conditions. In addition to the accreditation, the team was also recognised with a sustainability award. This award highlights their commitment to environmentally responsible practices, such as reducing waste and improving energy efficiency.
Hanna Winteridge, Devon Memory Service Lead, added: "This achievement reflects months of hard work, careful preparation and a shared commitment to delivering the highest standards of care for people living with memory difficulties. It was a challenging time to complete the process, as our focus has been on pressures in the service and higher wait times while maintaining people's safety. However, it allowed us to reflect on the standards we needed to upkeep across the service, whilst juggling these additional pressures. The accreditation process was rigorous, and rightly so - it challenged us to reflect, refine and reaffirm the quality of our service.
"We would like to thank everyone who supported the DMS accreditation process and acknowledge the continued hard work and dedication of the DMS core team and all clinical colleagues across our three clinics."
MSNAP is a national quality improvement and accreditation network for services that assess, diagnose and treat people with dementia. The accreditation reflects the dedication of the team in upholding the highest standards in assessment, diagnosis, treatment and post-diagnostic support through our Exeter Memory Clinic and services.
Hazel Powell, Chief Nursing Officer, congratulated the team, recognising that this was a "remarkable achievement for the service and testament to the hard work and dedication of the entire team in delivering high-quality care to our patients. These reviews require a significant amount of time, resources, perseverance and patience, so this accomplishment is truly commendable."
This is the third time DMS has received MSNAP accreditation. The team will continue working to uphold these standards and are already exploring plans to extend accreditation to our South Devon and North Devon clinics.
Congratulations to the Exeter Devon Memory Service!
The image above shows the Exeter Devon Memory Service team with their certificates. From left to right: David White, Assistant Psychologist, Liz Ferrari-Relf, Patient Flow Co-ordinator, Hanna Winteridge, Devon Memory Service Lead, Professor Louise Allan, Professor of Geriatric Medicine, Zariah Cross, Community Support Worker, and Rebecca Blatchford, Business Support Administrator.