HSJ award success for Time for Dementia programme

The Time for Dementia programme, run by Health Education England (HEE) in partnership with Brighton and Sussex Medical School, scooped an HSJ award in the Improving Outcomes through Learning and Development category at a glittering ceremony in London on Wednesday 22 November.

The Time for Dementia programme is an innovate approach to teaching undergraduate health professionals about the condition, which sees them visit a person with dementia and their family at least four times a year for the majority of their course. This provides students with a unique opportunity to understand what it is like to live with dementia over a longer period of time to help them develop an in-depth knowledge of the condition.

Time for Dementia was one of 23 winners of this year’s awards, following fierce competition with over 1600 entries. The judges were very impressed with the high standards of entries, and said this about the programme:

The judges felt that this initiative humanises care for people with a long-term condition and has the potential to change career-long attitudes and practice for an expanding range of health professionals.

Philippa Spicer, HEE’s local director for Kent, Surrey and Sussex, said:

This programme is such an important demonstration of the positive impact education and training can have for patients, families and carers. This award is fantastic recognition for the team and partners across the local system, who have worked so hard to improve the quality of care, through educational intervention, of the lives of those living with dementia.