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This leaflet may not be reproduced in whole or in part, without the permission of Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust.

This leaflet provides is information for anyone who has a new or suspected memory problems, including those with a diagnosis of dementia, and people in later life who have anxiety, depression or psychosis made more complex by physical health needs.

This leaflet will provide you with information that you will find useful. If you are not sure about anything in this leaflet, please ask a member of staff.

Memory and Later Life Services are for anyone who has a new or suspected diagnosis of Dementia alongside mental health conditions relating to the ageing process.

The service aims to:

  • Identify the cause of your memory loss and/ or mental health difficulties, and if necessary discuss any possible treatments with you and your family, friend or carer which may help.
  • Support you and your family/carer/friend by helping you to understand your memory or mental health difficulties and to manage them in a practical way.

Your appointment will usually take place in one of our clinics. In some circumstances we will arrange to see you in your own home.

Memory and Later life Services are a service for anyone who has new or suspected memory problems. This includes those with a diagnosis of dementia, and people in later life who have anxiety, depression or psychosis made more complex by physical health needs.

Your GP, Social worker or other health professional can refer you to the Memory and Later life Service. We will arrange to meet with you and assess your needs and establish what appropriate support is available.

Following your first appointment you may be given an appointment to go for a head scan or further tests from your GP (family doctor). This will give helpful information to work out the reason for your memory problem.

We may also visit you at home to discuss further details about how your memory has been affecting your quality of life and suggest practical ways to help.

Once all assessments are completed and we have all the results we will arrange for you to see your named nurse again or a specialist doctor. They will discuss the results of the assessments with you and where appropriate will offer diagnosis. They will also advise on any treatments available and answer any questions you may have.

We will arrange to meet with you again, this is an opportunity to talk about anything that may be worrying you and to see how much the advice and/or medication you were given has helped you.

At this visit we can provide information on:

  • The diagnosis and the course and prognosis of the condition.
  • What happens next including details of any follow up appointment.
  • Treatments and interventions that may help, carer support and other ways to help such as cognitive stimulation therapy.

It is important that we also consider the impact memory problems may be having on your carer or family. To help this, a short assessment will be completed with your carer to enable support to be offered if helpful.

Staff can arrange an interpreter if you need one.

If you want to make a comment, suggestion, compliment or complaint you can:

We are always looking at ways to improve services. Your feedback allows us to monitor the quality of our services and act upon issues that you bring to our attention. You can provide feedback in the following ways:

  • the quickest way for you to do this is to complete our short online survey at www.cntw.nhs.uk/yourvoice
  • complete a Your Voice survey, available on wards, reception areas or from staff
  • other options for sharing your feedback and experience www.cntw.nhs.uk/yourfeedback

Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
PALS provide confidential advice and support, helping you to sort out any concerns that you may have about any aspect of your or your loved ones care.

We act independently when handling patient and family concerns, liaising with staff, managers and, where appropriate, relevant organisations, to negotiate prompt solutions. If necessary, we can also refer patients and families to specific local or national-based support agencies.

North of Tyne
Telephone: 0800 032 0202
Email: pals@nhct.nhs.uk
Post: FREEPOST PALS

South of Tyne
Telephone: 0800 328 4397
Text: 07825 061 035
Email: pals@cntw.nhs.uk

Post: Patient Advice and Liaison Service, Garden Lodge, Hopewood Park, Ryhope, Sunderland, SR2 0NB

9am – 4.30 pm, Monday to Friday

An answerphone is available at all times for you to leave a message. A member of the PALS team will aim to return your call as soon as possible.

Alzheimer’s Society
Telephone: 0333 150 3456
Mon to Wed – 9am to 8pm, Thurs to Fri – 9am to 5pm, Sat to Sun – 10am to 4pm
can provide information, support and signposting for people with a diagnosis of dementia and their carer’s.

Age UK
Telephone: 0800 055 6112
Open 8am to 7pm, every day of the year
This service works with volunteers to promote the wellbeing of older people and to help make later life a fulfilling and enjoyable experience.

Lived Experience Service
Telephone: 01670 501 816

Carer resources
www.cntw.nhs.uk/carers

Carer Support Cumbria
Supporting carers through Assessments, Support Plans, Health and Wellbeing Support, social activities and associated personalised support services.

Telephone their local service using the numbers below.

Your named practitioner is: ________________________________________

Allerdale and Copeland
Unit 1, Lilly Hall Business Centre, Jubilee Road, Workington, CA14 4HA.
Telephone: 01900 705 850

Carlisle and Eden
Geltwood House, Carleton Clinic, Carlisle, CA1 3SX.
Telephone: 01228 602 100

Carlisle and Eden
Beacon Unit, Penrith Hospital, Bridge Lane, Penrith, CA11 8HX.
Telephone: 01768 245 530

Further information about the content, reference sources or production of this leaflet can be obtained from the Patient Information Centre. If you would like to tell us what you think about this leaflet please get in touch.

This information can be made available in a range of formats on request (eg Braille, audio, larger print, easy read, BSL or other languages). Please contact the Patient Information Centre Tel: 0191 246 7288

Published by the Patient Information Centre
2025 Copyright: Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust
Ref: PIC/870/0425 April 2025 V2

Website: www.cntw.nhs.uk
Telephone: 0191 246 7288

Review date 2028