Published: July 13, 2012
Excellence award for Burnham-On-Sea dementia support service

A service which supports elderly patients with dementia and their associated memory problems has been awarded a much-coveted accreditation status by the Royal College of Psychiatrists this week.

Staff at the Burnham Memory Assessment Service offer assessment, diagnosis, treatment and support to people suffering with dementia and living in and around the Burnham-On-Sea area.

A presentation took place on Wednesday (July 11th) when staff at Berrow Health Park's Mulberry Centre were presented with an 'excellence' accreditation status award.

Overseen by the Royal College of Psychiatrists, their Memory Services National Accreditation Programme is only awarded after a succession of service reviews and when staff can demonstrate that their services are maintaining the highest professional standards.

Staff are also supported to critically evaluate and address areas of service where further improvements can be made.

Carol Prichard, Senior Manager with the Burnham Memory Assessment Service, told Burnham-On-Sea.com: "Staff with the Burnham Memory Assessment Service can feel rightly proud of achieving this accreditation status award."

"They have worked extraordinarily hard and have been subject to exhaustive reviews and benchmarking of their service."

"However, the real judges of the service continue to be the many patients and carers who use the service and appreciate its caring and professional standards."

Now staff have achieved the Royal College of Psychiatrists Memory Services National Accreditation there is no opportunity to relax since the service will be reviewed again in early 2014.

Somerset Partnership NHS Foundation Trust's Memory Assessment Service operates as multi disciplinary service. Its work is delivering support to dementia patients consistent with the government's national dementia strategy.

Pictured: Carol Prichard (centre) of the Burnham Memory Assessment Service, with staff outside the Mulberry Centre at the Berrow Health Park