Taking a pathway approach | Right Decisions

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Change package for a dementia care co-ordination improvement programme (post-diagnostic support and care co-ordination)
Taking a pathway approach

Update your RDS mobile app to v4.7.2 to download toolkits even when website is down.

We are pleased to advise that deep linking capability, enabling users to directly download individual mobile toolkits, has now been released on the RDS mobile app. You will see that each toolkit has a small QR code icon in the header area beside the search icon – see screenshot below. Clicking on this icon will open up a window with a full-size QR code and the alternative of a short URL for sharing with users. Instructions are provided.

You may need to actively update to the latest release - RDS app version 4.7.1 - to see this improvement.

Updating to this latest version of the RDS app is also strongly recommended to get the full benefits of the new resilience arrangements – specifically, that if the RDS website should fail, you will still be able to download new mobile app toolkits. To check your current RDS version, click on the three dots bottom right of the RDS app screen. This takes you to a “More” page where you will see the version number. To install latest updates:

On iPhones – go to the Apple store, click on your profile icon top right, scroll down to see the apps waiting to be updated and update the RDS app.

On Android phones – these can vary, but try going to the Google Play store, click on your profile icon top right, click on “Manage apps and device”, select and update the RDS app.

Please get in touch with ann.wales3@nhs.scot with any questions.

It may be useful when identifying and prioritising improvement ideas to take a pathway approach. Although everyone’s journey with dementia is different and is rarely as linear as the diagram below, it does enable teams to map their services along the pathway to ascertain what is working well and where there might be areas for improvement.

A diagram of a pathway for post-diagnostic dementia support. It has five stages and shows the type of support that can be offered at each stage along with some available resources.

Whilst the focus of this change package is post-diagnostic support (PDS), care coordination and palliative & end of life care (stages 3, 4 and 5), it is important that HSCPs are aware of how people access assessment and diagnosis within their area. Without a diagnosis, people are unable to access the care and support in stages 3, 4 and 5 in the pathway. The quarterly PDS management reports produced by Public Health Scotland provide a useful illustration of the numbers diagnosed and referred for PDS, but it will also be important to understand whether people are diagnosed through different routes, and whether all routes are linked to PDS. For examples of work to improve assessment and diagnosis please see this webpage or contact the Focus on Dementia team.