Published on: 22nd February 2023
Residents with memory problems can now benefit from new NHS video call memory assessments.
Memory assessments, run by Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (LPFT), are used to help people over 18 years of age who are having problems with their memory, language or attention.
Chris Higgins, Director of Operations at LPFT, explains:
“Our aim is to help people get a diagnosis as quickly as possible, so we can get a plan in place to help them access support they need to live their lives as independently as possible.
“We’ve been piloting this new way of working for the past few months. We’ve seen over 300 patients this way and feedback has been really positive. People have been seen, assessed and given a formal diagnosis in around two weeks.”
Donna Galligan from LPFT’s Memory Assessment and Management Service, adds:
“The feedback from the pilot scheme has been excellent. It focused on the flexibility, both in appointment times and that it can be done from their own home or a place which suited them. And by being run virtually, it meant that family could join in and support the process, from wherever they were in the world!
“We recognise that digital appointments don’t suit everyone though, so we are still offering in-person appointments.”
If you would like a memory assessment via video call, please let your GP know.
You can find out more on the LPFT website
