Main content
Impact of AHP Dementia Consultants
Background
In January 2015, Alzheimer Scotland commissioned an evaluation focusing on the role of the Allied Health Professional (AHP) Dementia Consultants.
There are four Consultants in Scotland – three based in local NHS boards and one in Alzheimer Scotland. The three posts in the territorial health boards have been funded since 2010. The Alzheimer Scotland post has been funded since 2012.
About the evaluation.
The purpose of the evaluation was to identify the AHP Dementia Consultant’s impact – actual or likely – on the organisations in which they work, on AHP working across Scotland, and on people living with dementia. As well as aiming to identify impact, the evaluation was to uncover views on what has worked well and less well, and why. The findings were intended to inform work being undertaken by Alzheimer Scotland in addressing Commitment 4 of Scotland’s Dementia Strategy.
Download the full AHP Evaluation Report
Download the Executive Summary
Conclusions
It is suggested that any future deployment of the Consultant role should take an outcome-focused approach. This should involve consensus building on the changes that the Consultants intend to achieve, and be partnered with sound, proportionate and ongoing monitoring and evaluation. Doing so will not only enable assessments of where changes are being made and to what level, but will also provide a stronger basis for making decisions on whether and how activities should be refined.
In addition, doing so will strengthen both evidence and effectiveness on the AHP workforce’s contribution to a Scotland in which people affected by dementia flourish for longer.