Photo: Phil Nunez Photography. From L to R: Karen Conway & Debbie Smith from NHS North East with Kate Sturgess
With the improvement of dementia care currently high on the government’s agenda, over 160 health professionals came together in April for a conference in Durham City to share knowledge and explore ways in which to boost services for those with dementia.
The conference, ‘Dementia Care – Call to Action’, was organised by the NHS North East’s Strategic Health Authority and hosted by Kate Sturgess, who wrote and presented the documentary film ‘Finding a Way to Contented Dementia’. Kate, who cared for her own father after he was diagnosed with dementia, said “The crucial issue of how to better care not just for those with dementia, but also for those who do the caring was the major theme threading through the day. The conference hall was packed and I was proud and delighted to be asked to speak about my experience of using the SPECAL method; many delegates approached me afterwards to say it struck a chord with them not just professionally, but personally too.
Events like these are so important for everyone involved in dementia care to share best practice and learn from each other’s experiences and will become even more so as patient numbers rise and budget cuts come into play.”
The conference was captured by grahpic artist Tom Russell of Meeting Magic as an enormous poster. Check out Contented Dementia Trust just outside the door of No. 10!
