Trust and Alzheimer’s Society win Bristol dementia contract

Posted on 28th May, 2014

Devon Partnership NHS Trust and Alzheimer’s Society have won a five year contract to provide dementia wellbeing services in Bristol, it has been confirmed today. Operating as the Bristol Dementia Partnership, the two organisations won a competitive tendering process to secure the contract - the final stage of which included three other bidders. The contract is worth around £4.5m per year.  It commences in October 2014 and the new service is expected to be fully implemented by April 2015.  The award of the contract is part of a £25m project to modernise Bristol’s mental health services. Commenting on the announcement, Lorna Robertson, Alzheimer’s Society’s Operations Manager for Avon, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire, said: “We estimate that there are currently around 4,500 people living with dementia in Bristol – many of whom will not have a formal diagnosis.  Our aim is to support these people to live well with their condition for as long as they can – and to provide that support in the most convenient way possible. “As part of the tendering process, we spent a good deal of time asking people in Bristol what they wanted from a dementia service and our model of care is very much based on what they told us. As well as supporting people with the most complex and challenging needs, we will focus on working closely with families and carers,  primary care colleagues, nursing homes, voluntary organisations and community groups to provide education, training and practical advice on supporting people to live well with dementia.” Dr Colm Owens, Clinical Director for Older People’s Services at Devon Partnership NHS Trust, added:  “This is the first contract that we have secured outside Devon and we are delighted to be working in partnership with Alzheimer’s Society – which is unrivalled in terms of its expertise and experience in the field of dementia. “Bristol Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) was very impressed with our bid and the services we have developed for people with dementia here in Devon.  We are confident that we can mirror this success in Bristol and build upon the services that are already working well there.  Our newly-established Memory Clinics, which provide earlier assessment and diagnosis of dementia, have already won an innovation award from the Royal College of Psychiatrists and these are one of many new services that we hope to establish in Bristol in due course.” Other key features of the new service include a single point of access and a Dementia Navigator and Practice Coordinator linked to every GP practice in Bristol. Everyone using the service will also have their own Wellbeing Plan.  In its inspection of Devon Partnership NHS Trust in February 2014, the Care Quality Commission praised the quality of services for older people, including those for people with dementia. Dr Martin Jones, Chair of Bristol CCG, said: “Bristol CCG are delighted that Devon Partnership NHS Trust and Alzheimer’s Society have been awarded the contract to provide our new Dementia Wellbeing Service.  We were very impressed with the high quality of the bid, their knowledge and understanding of the area and the proven track record that both providers will bring.  We know that this service will really make a difference to the quality of life for people with dementia and their families in Bristol and it will build upon the good work that has been taking place in Bristol over the past few years.”