The Dementia Care Pathway: full implementation guidance was published by the National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health (NCCMH) in July 2018. Commissioned by NHS England, the full implementation guidance sets out key commissioning and service development touch points to support improvements in the delivery and quality of care and support for people living with dementia and their families and carers.

The guidance accompanies and builds on NHS England’s shorter Implementation guide and resource pack for dementia care published in July 2017. The guide sets out what good quality assessment, diagnosis and care looks like in relation to formal guidance, in addition to the views and expectations of people living with dementia and their carers.

The guide is shaped by the framework set by the NHS Mandate and has two clear requirements to enhance dementia care, through:

• increasing the number of people being diagnosed with dementia, and starting treatment, within six weeks from referral; and
• improving the quality of post-diagnostic treatment and support for people with dementia and their carers.

This guide is support by:

• Good care planning guide for dementia
• RightCare dementia pathway scenario

If you have any questions please email england.domainteam@nhs.net.