Trust reduces dementia services for three months

Local charity Dementia Support said it would be a worrying time for people

Dementia assessments are to be reduced for three months in East and West Sussex amid a staff redeployment over the winter period.

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust said in addition, there would be a drop in dementia beds, from 50 to 40.

The trust said the temporary changes were needed to protect patient safety, prioritise urgent care and to achieve financial balance.

Dementia Support said it would do everything it could to fill the gap in what would be a "worrying time" for people.

Memory assessment and dementia services provided in West Sussex, as well as High Weald, Lewes and Havens in East Sussex, will be temporarily reduced from January 2024 until the end March, the trust said.

The trust said there was also a need to reduce the use of agency staff and manage resources effectively.

It said the plans focused on the national NHS priorities set out ahead of Christmas and the New Year period.

On assessments, it said: "During the period of temporary redeployment, we will not be able to see new patients and support them as soon as we would like.

"We are contacting patients, their families and carers if an initial appointment needs to be rescheduled."

On the reduction in beds, it added: "We are working to enable patients who are ready for discharge to be able to leave safely and we will be supporting those who continue to need a bed, along with their families and carers, to find the most appropriate alternative care."

Sally Tabbner, CEO of Dementia Support, based in Tangmere, said the charity would do everything it could to increase services to try to fill the gap.

She said: "We are extremely concerned about how this reduction in services will impact local people and want to get the message out that we're here to help, whether someone has a diagnosis of dementia or not.

"We know this is going to be worrying and we will do everything we can to support our local communities."

The charity has urged anyone concerned to contact them.