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.