Dementia commissioning for quality and innovation
March 10 2012Dementia commissioning for quality and innovation (CQUIN) aims to help identify patients with dementia and other causes of cognitive impairment, alongside their other medical conditions and to prompt appropriate referral and follow up after they leave hospital.
The dementia CQUIN incentivises clinicians/trusts by linking a proportion of their income to the achievement of targets to identify patients with dementia and other causes of impaired cognition alongside their other medical conditions. It also encourages them to refer appropriately and follow up after they leave hospital.
Currently around 40 per cent of patients over 75 admitted to general hospitals have dementia with only half having prior detection of cognitive diagnosis. There’s an opportunity while people are in hospital to make sure that a proper diagnostic assessment takes place. This will also mean that while they are in hospital and on discharge, reasonable adjustments can be made in their care to take into account their dementia.
The CQUIN has three main aims:
- Find people with dementia – members of staff will ask members of the family or friends of a person admitted to hospital if the patient has suffered any problems with their memory in the last 12 months
- Assess people with dementia – if there is evidence to suggest a problem with their memory, that person will be given a dementia risk assessment
- Refer on for advice – a referral would be made for further support either to a liaison team, a memory clinic or a GP.
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