Healthcare provider launches national memory clinic service
A private healthcare provider has launched a national memory clinic service aimed at delivering swift assessments, diagnosis and treatment for people who may be suffering the early signs of dementia.
Summerfield Healthcare has clinics in Shrewsbury, Wolverhampton, Birmingham and Cardiff but has now taken its memory clinic online through remote assessments – making it easier for anyone to access the prompt service, wherever they live.
It means people can receive a dementia diagnosis from a consultant psychiatrist with no referral, minimum waiting and appointments that can be arranged at times to suit the patient.
Paul Hatton, head of clinical services and compliance at Summerfield Healthcare, said: “Launching a national memory health clinic is another important step we are taking to bring additional medical services within the means of more people.
“As a national medical concierge service, our memory clinic has been created to provide assessments, diagnosis and treatment quickly – an important factor when it comes to dementia, because more can be done to help the patient with an early diagnosis.
“People are continuing to have difficulties in accessing NHS services through long waits and a backlog of assessments caused by the pandemic. The mean waiting time from referral to diagnosis was 13 weeks, but there has been significant variance with some services providing a diagnosis within three weeks and many others taking up to 34.
“People shouldn’t have to wait this long to receive attention and need to know that there is an alternative available to them.
“Dementia is a major challenge as we try to come to terms with an ever-increasing ageing population. There are about 850,000 dementia sufferers in the UK, with figures relating to over 65s doubling every five years.
“As more people are diagnosed, it means more people will be required to care for them and it is now estimated that as many as one in three people will at some point in their lives be called upon to care for someone with dementia.
“It makes it very important that we provide the opportunity for early diagnosis in battling this dreadful illness and our remotely available consultations will help to achieve this. So, while there is no cure for dementia, the early detection will help people get the right support in place and plan for the future.
“Summerfield Healthcare already provides face-to-face memory clinics at our Shrewsbury, Wolverhampton, Birmingham and Cardiff clinics but remote consultations means we can bring this hugely important service to a national audience.
“When you choose a private dementia assessment with Summerfield Healthcare, you are assured of quick appointments to help diagnose quickly. It also provides early dementia detection for anyone displaying signs and symptoms of dementia so they can access the right treatment and support.”
For more information and to book an appointment, visit the website at https://www.summerfieldhealthcare.co.uk/memory-clinic
