Nominations sought for Scotland's Dementia Awards

Six award categories have been named for Scotland’s first Dementia Awards, made possible by a partnership between the Care Inspectorate and leading health organisations Alzheimer Scotland, NHS Health Scotland, NHS Education for Scotland and the Scottish Social Services Council.

Friday 13th July is the deadline for applications, with the winners to be named at Hampden Stadium on Thursday 20th September, coinciding with World Alzheimer’s day.

The six categories are for best acute care initiative, best innovation in continuing care, best community support initiative, best dementia friendly community initiative, best educational initiative, and for most innovative partnership.

Chief executive of Alzheimer Scotland, Henry Simmons, commented: “Every day, people with dementia and their families face the challenge of living well with dementia. Thousands of staff, across the health, social care and community sectors, go above and beyond their individual roles to make a real difference to the lives of people with this illness. Scotland’s Dementia Awards are a celebration of staff who have risen to the challenge of helping people to live well with dementia in our society.”

Currently there are an estimated 80,000 people in Scotland with dementia and numbers are expected to double over the next 25 years.

Chief executive of the Scottish Social Service Council, Anna Fowlie, commented: “The social services and health workforce is enormous. People such as care home staff, doctors, social workers, nurses, receptionists, care at home staff and occupational therapists can all be part of a better future for people with dementia, their families and carers in Scotland. Whether working alone or in teams, with partners in the community, in housing services or the arts, these awards will recognise the difference we can make to the quality of people’s lives.”