Memory & Prescribing Clinics

Memory Team Aims

• To provide a thorough assessment of a person's memory through neuropsychological assessment, history taking, results from blood tests and CT scans.
  
  
• To provide an adequate follow-up and monitoring service - through referral to the clinical trials team, the community mental health team, prescribing clinic or regular neuropsychological assessment.
  
  
• To contribute to the early diagnosis of dementia and to facilitate early intervention.
  

The Kingshill memory clinic was set up in 1994 and, in 2001, formed a new team in its own right. It is now managed by the Department of Old Age Psychiatry.

The memory clinic aims to provide assessment and follow-up for patients with memory problems or who are worried about their memory. Although this is essentially a service for those aged over 65, 20% of patients are under this age.

What is involved in attending Memory Clinic?

Summary:

Currently, four memory clinic sessions are held per week. Three new patients are seen at each clinic, first by the psychologists for an hour of neuropsychological assessment, and then by the doctor for history taking. Patients are seen 6 weeks later for a follow up appointment, where a diagnosis may be given and appropriate referrals made. Approximately 33% of patients have subsequently been involved in clinical trials and approximately 10% have been referred to prescribing clinic.

A further 'satellite' clinic is held at Savernake Hospital, Marlborough, once a month in collaboration with Dr Simon Manchip, seeing five patients a month.

Memory Team Appointment:

This involves seeing a psychologist who goes through some routine memory tasks. These tasks entail carrying out a range of exercises that test different parts of memory and include some simple reading and drawing exercises. Many people enjoy completing them and are interested to find out what they mean. This appointment usually takes about 45 -60 minutes.

The Doctors Appointment:

This will involve talking to the doctor and discussing any experience of memory problems. He or she will then note details of family and personal medical history. The doctor may also arrange for some further tests. This appointment will take from 40 - 60 minutes.

What next?

Following this appointment, the doctor will arrange a follow-up appointment in about 6 weeks time. This will be to talk about the results of the memory team assessments and any other tests the doctor may have organised. The doctor may be able to give a diagnosis and will make referrals to the community mental health team, clinical trials or the prescribing clinic as appropriate.

Prescribing Clinic

Prescribing clinic assesses and monitors patients who are being prescribed a licensed drug.

Carers' Support Workers

The Memory Team offers information and support to people who support and/or care for someone experiencing memory problems by way of dedicated Carers' Support Workers.

Data collected by the memory team provides an invaluable resource for the research psychologists of the project team.

The team also carries out neuropsychological testing for clinical trials and works on research projects, both 'own account' and sponsored.

A more detailed report on the memory team's activities will be found in The Kingshill Research Centre Annual Review 2001-2002 (pdf).

In both 2001 and 2002 Kingshill has hosted the UK National Memory Clinic Conference and in July 2003, Dr Bullock is chairing the first day of Memory International 2003.

Back to top

Home | About Us | Site Map | Dementia Search | Contact
What is Dementia? | Where to get help | Dementia Research | Dementia Links & Resources | Dementia FAQs
Kingshill's Research | Facilities & Services | The Team | How to Find Us

Copyright © 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 Kingshill Research Centre
(The Kingshill Research Fund - An Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership Charitable Fund, Registered Charity No. 1056576)
Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust:
Central Offices, Bath NHS House, Newbridge Hill, Bath, Somerset, BA1 3QE
e-mail:webmaster@kingshill-research.org
All rights reserved.
Site Policy Statements