Exeter/East Devon
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22nd July 2010
LINk Devon Annual Review
Exeter
Belmont Chapel, Exeter
10 - 3.30
Improving the quality of Care for Older People with Mental Health needs
We have a rapidly expanding population of older people, with an ever-increasing level of need for services. By 2021, around one person in nine over 65 in Devon will have dementia, and many others will have other mental health problems requiring specialist help and support. The Devon Partnership Trust, NHS Devon and Devon County Council have acknowledged the challenge and have to put plans in place to meet the needs of this growing number of people - for example, by investing in single sex accommodation and reducing the number of shared rooms in Exeter, Torbay and Barnstaple hospitals. The Trust is approaching local communities across the county to make some important and, sometimes, difficult decisions about how they reshape local services, and so ensure we can meet the growing level of need. In response to peoples' concerns, LINk Devon's Counselling and Related Therapies Group (CART) will be focusing on dementia as part of how services can be improved across Devon . In particular we have had a lot of interest from East Devon regarding provision of older peoples' mental health services following a meeting in Honiton. Local people across Devon have been involved in setting up memory cafes in their communities. These cafes are to help identify early signs of dementia and other problems. Early detection leads to a better prognosis for people and it is hoped that if a person had problems with their memory, that they would be able to access a local memory café as one route into treatment, where help, advice and support would be available.
LINk Devon can help keep you informed of the new developments regarding Memory Cafes. Could you benefit from knowing more or giving a view? Contact us to receive a full list of all Memory café's running and an update on how David Light is promoting Memory Cafes across Devon, and how you can help set one up.
Cafe Corner
LINk are continuing to run a fortnightly café corner at St Sidwells Centre, Sidwells Street in Exeter, We hope that by basing a surgery to gather peoples views in the heart of the city, we will continue to encourage people who would not otherwise contact us to come and have their say, in a relaxed and friendly environment. Pop in for a tea and a chat anytime between noon and 2 on the following dates 
"have your say at LINks café corner"
New Town
Around 7,500 new homes will be in the new town of Cranbrook, between Rockbeare and Broadclyst, and another 4,000 will be on the outskirts of Exeter. Plans are underway by Devon PCT and the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital to provide health services for the new town. We look forward to hearing the views of residents in the area regarding the Health and Social Care Services available to them.
We would like to find out what you think about health and care services they receive. By telling us your views, the LINk can identify where services need to be improved and impact on how services are delivered in the future.
Contact your LINk Exeter and East Devon Community Engagement worker, Caroline Lee and have your say!
01404 549045 or linkdevon@edvsa.org.uk. Visit www.linkdevon.org.uk to take part in our Devon wide survey.