Should Dementia be diagnosed in primary or secondary Care?

Dr Seamus V McNultyConsultant Psychiatrist and

Chair, Faculty of Old Age PsychiatryRoyal College of Psychiatrists in Scotland

Secondary Care

Secondary Care

Secondary Care

Primary Care

Primary Care

Primary Care

New GP Contract

• We are arguing for a physican-led primary healthcare team – it doesn’t mean you’re the boss because you don’t employ the team but you should be leading how to achieve the outcomes, providing expert medical support to those team members – Allan McDevitt, Chair Scottish GP committee of BMA

• “Specialist Generalist :

Old Age Psychiatrists• Lead multidisciplinary teams in the

assessment, diagnosis, treatment and management of Dementia

Primary vs Secondary Care

• Argument should not be about primary versus secondary care but about a deliberate blurring of the distinction.

• Move more of secondary care services into the communities they serve!