Dementia training will boost care and support across Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire
People living with dementia, along with their caregivers and families, are set to benefit from a major training programme for frontline staff across Bristol, North Somerset, and South Gloucestershire, commissioned by NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board (ICB).
The ICB currently serves a population of over one million people. By completion of the programme, 500 health and social care staff from hospitals, community services, local authorities, and the voluntary sector in the local area, will have undertaken the specialist dementia training.
National dementia-care expert
The training, now underway, is being delivered by specialist provider 6D Dementia, founded by Dr Frances Duffy. Dr Duffy is a consultant clinical psychologist and national dementia-care expert who has authored best practice guidelines for Northern Ireland’s Public Health Agency and the British Psychological Society (BPS), contributed to the Northern Ireland Regional Dementia Care Pathway, and serves on national committees of the BPS and the Association of Clinical Psychologists. She is also an NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Fellow. The Clinical Entrepreneur Programme was established in 2016 to equip NHS staff with the commercial skills, experience, and knowledge necessary to accelerate innovations in healthcare.
6D Dementia’s training is grounded in established psychological and dementia-care evidence, alongside years of frontline clinical experience from Dr Duffy. It seeks to improve the quality of life for people living with dementia and to ease pressure on health and social care budgets, by supporting reductions in crisis, escalation, and unnecessary hospital admissions, and more appropriate use of antipsychotic medication. Its mix of online modules, care-planning tools, and face-to-face sessions will help staff better understand the progression of dementia, support people when they experience distress, and improve the consistency and quality of care. The approach also aims to reduce stress for carers and improve staff wellbeing and retention.
Speaking about the new training, Dr Duffy said it was an important milestone for people living with dementia, and for those who support them in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire:
“As a society we are facing rapidly rising dementia rates, so it is hugely significant for people living in the area that the ICB has taken the lead and chosen to invest in specialist training that is practical, accessible, and designed to make a real difference to families and frontline staff alike.
“Our training has received incredible feedback showing it helps staff feel more supported and confident, and people living with dementia feel safe, understood, and treated with dignity in their daily care. I’m looking forward to seeing how the rollout of this programme is going to positively transform dementia care across Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire, and enable more people living with dementia to do so with dignity and meaningful connection, while maximising their independence.”
Speaking about the training, David Moss, Locality Director at Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire ICB, added:
“We are delighted to commission dementia training of this type and on this scale. This has only been possible because of the strong relationships and close working between our locality partnerships, including the teams of NHS staff, local councils, voluntary organisations and community groups who work side‑by‑side every day. Their shared commitment to supporting people living with dementia means we can invest in specialist training that reflects real local needs and helps improve care where it matters most.
“Investing in specialist dementia training is a key part of our Joint Forward Plan, as we aim to ensure that people living with dementia, their families, and NHS staff all benefit from the latest thinking in dementia care. This new training programme will help our frontline teams build greater understanding, improve communication. It will help them respond more effectively to the complex needs of those affected, so that people living with dementia are supported by people with the kinds of skills and compassion that can make a real difference to them every day.”
Further details on 6D Dementia and its training programmes are available at www.6ddementia.com.