More specialist nurses to be appointed after pilot scheme saves £440,000 in a year

A pilot scheme involving specialist dementia nurses in Norfolk has been hailed a success after it led to savings of more than £400,000.

Three clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) have announced they will now develop their dementia services based on the success of the Admiral Nurse pilot, which was led by charity Dementia UK in partnership with Age UK Norfolk and Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust.

The two-year scheme resulted in direct savings of £443,593 to health and social care across the county as a result of fewer appointments with GPs, nurses and social workers and unnecessary hospital admissions and care home costs.

South Norfolk CCG has confirmed it will fund an Admiral nurse consultant and two Admiral nurses, while Norwich CCG will fund an Admiral nurse consultant.

West Norfolk CCG has announced it will be expanding its dementia services with more post-diagnostic support for people with dementia, their carers including Admiral nurses, dementia advisers and dementia support workers.

Admiral nurses support the families of people with dementia by providing both emotional and practical support from the point of diagnosis, and to carers following bereavement.

Debbie White, Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust director of operations, said: ‘We are delighted that following the success of the Admiral nurses pilot, CCGs in Norfolk have agreed to commission this service.

'Admiral nurses have made a great difference to people with dementia and their families in Norfolk by giving them help and support in the patients’ home.’