Memory clinic

Anniebell

Registered User
Jan 31, 2015
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This might be a stupid question but had a letter from memory clinic following a referral from mums gp,before she was diagnosed by physchiartrist from adult mental health in December .Do I still need to take mum to this appointment ? Or will we be wasting there time Now we know what's wrong with mum love Annie x
 

Kevinl

Registered User
Aug 24, 2013
6,050
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Salford
This might be a stupid question but had a letter from memory clinic following a referral from mums gp,before she was diagnosed by physchiartrist from adult mental health in December .Do I still need to take mum to this appointment ? Or will we be wasting there time Now we know what's wrong with mum love Annie x

My wife normally goes to the memory clinic every 6 months for a reassessment that seem to be the norm, they then report any changes to the GP and the physchiartrist.
K
 

marionq

Registered User
Apr 24, 2013
6,449
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Scotland
John visits the Memory clinic every six months and a CPN comes to the house about every six weeks. I would keep the contacts going if I were you as later you might need them. Our psychiatrist has been very supportive.
 

Kevinl

Registered User
Aug 24, 2013
6,050
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Salford
I had to google CPN
:) me too I've never seen a CPN, bit like a unicorn I have heard they exist but I've never seen one in the wild or indeed in our house, but I walked into our wardrobe once and there wasn't a lion or a witch in there either, how disappointed was I?
K
 

Lindy50

Registered User
Dec 11, 2013
5,242
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Cotswolds
:) me too I've never seen a CPN, bit like a unicorn I have heard they exist but I've never seen one in the wild or indeed in our house, but I walked into our wardrobe once and there wasn't a lion or a witch in there either, how disappointed was I?
K

:D

I've never seen a CPN either. Are they an endangered species, I wonder? :(
 

Anniebell

Registered User
Jan 31, 2015
115
0
thanks for your replies everyone will take mum for the appointment I thought memory clinic was just to get diagnosed I'm not that clued up tbh most of the info ive got about AD is from TP I did ask physchiartrist about cpn ( heard about those on here!!)he just looked at me and said mum would be in the care of her GP after 2 months thanks again everyone love Annie xxx
 

Izzy

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Aug 31, 2003
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Dundee
Bill only had a CPN after diagnosis almost 14 years ago. He was particularly depressed and he had weekly visits for a couple of months. I asked the GP recently if I could talk to one. He felt that Bill's mood and behaviour didn't really merit a visit but did agree to refer him. I wanted advice on how to deal with Bill downright refusing to get out of the car. She was no help at all. I also emailed the Admiral Nurses even though they don't cover Scotland. The email I got from her was much more helpful. Mind you he still refuses to get out of the car!:rolleyes:
 

marionq

Registered User
Apr 24, 2013
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Scotland
CPNs and other workers in NHS Scotland

I should explain the Scottish system a bit better then. Once diagnosed by the Memory clinic a CPN is appointed to oversee the taking of medication and decide if it should continue or be changed etc. Initially John did not take medication so we were given a Link worker for a year who came once a month to advise about general matters eg social groups, care agencies, anything we wanted to raise. She was a lovely person who filled in forms for Attendance allowance and council tax rebate etc.

Shortly after our year ended our GP put John on sleeping tablets and sent us back to the Memory clinic for an update. This led to more medication, Trazodone, which in turn meant visits from a CPN. This has continued for the last six months and she gives good advice and takes an interest in how things are generally. Both the CPN and the Link worker report back to the psychiatrist at the Memory clinic so it is quite joined up thinking. She will be here next week so I must ask her why other parts of the country are less well served.

As I understand it they are moving towards a system where social services will also be part of this, working alongside NHS possibly in the same offices and sharing info about what clients needs are.
 

Izzy

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Aug 31, 2003
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Dundee
That system is reasonably new in Scotland Marion. It didn't exist when Bill was diagnosed. The post diagnosis team seems like a good idea. We were more or less on our own after diagnosis apart from the memory clinic appointments.
 

marionq

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Apr 24, 2013
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Scotland
Izzy I was told by one of the workers that when Nicola Sturgeon was Health Minister under a previous government she went out with the mental health team to see what the issues were. She took on board what she saw and was told and set up the Link worker scheme. I was impressed by how much she did in a fairly short time. She is a valuable asset.
 

Izzy

Volunteer Moderator
Aug 31, 2003
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Dundee
Izzy I was told by one of the workers that when Nicola Sturgeon was Health Minister under a previous government she went out with the mental health team to see what the issues were. She took on board what she saw and was told and set up the Link worker scheme. I was impressed by how much she did in a fairly short time. She is a valuable asset.

It certainly is so much better. I've met the post diagnosis team at our local drop in cafe. They seem very good. The benefits of living North of the border eh?