New pathways for older people in Kirklees

Our new single agreed pathway across primary, secondary and third sectors is helping to improve access for community and primary care clinicians in Kirklees. This means that patients with cognitive impairment and their carers can get care and support in a timely manner by the right people throughout their care journey.
Clear care pathways have been developed, taking into account the different routes of referrals and the various types of dementia and cognitive impairment presentations.
This new care pathway enables a seamless process and has created an improved and innovative way for us to provide services closer to home. The pathways empower primary care clinicians to diagnose patients confidently without referral when appropriate, and ensure patients and their carers are able to access support throughout their care journey.
These pathways and support guidance have now been presented in Yorkshire and Humber strategic clinical network meetings. The guidance has also been collated and merged with a Yorkshire-wide guidance and a mobile phone app for primary clinicians. It has also been picked up by other regions who are taking the principles of the initiative and adapting the pathways and guidance to suit their own local needs.