EU Joint Action: Act on Dementia

Overall goals

The aim of the Act on Dementia Joint Action is to promote collaborative actions among Member States to improve the lives of people living with dementia and their carers.

Key UK Colleagues and Partners

Health Improvement Scotland, EU Joint Action for Dementia

International Partners

EU Member States

Sustainable development goals

• SDG 3 - Good health and well-being
• SDG 17 - Partnerships for the goals

Funding source

Joint actions are a financial mechanism in the Health Programme to cover specific health-policy needs. They support EU cooperation with an important number of partners which are either competent health authorities in the Member States or other organizations designated by these competent authorities. Joint actions generate momentum for wider impact; gain for the Member States involved is substantial in terms of knowledge and experience exchanged. Joint actions are grants for actions co-financed with Member State authorities.

Project origin

Variation in dementia practice across Europe. Opportunity to develop best practice and to test in practice across member states to inform future service improvements and outcomes for people with dementia, carers and staff.

Evidence of need

Opportunity to develop best practice and to test in practice across member states to inform future service improvements and outcomes for people with dementia, carers and staff.

Project areas

Service Improvements

Project activities

Each work package has been developing evidence reviews/literature reviews and identified test site areas to support the implementation of evidence into practice.
Scotland’s contribution is to our post-diagnostic support work in primary care settings.

Changes

Improvement in the care and support for people with dementia and carers, based on proven improvements in practice and sharing across Europe. Improved knowledge and understanding of staff in how best to support people with dementia across a range of settings including primary care, community, care homes and dementia friendly communities

Next steps

To continue to test the evidence developed through the work packages of the EU Joint Action and to capture learning, with a view to sharing this wider. Present at Alzheimer Europe conference in October 2018 to share progress with key stakeholders.

Challenges

Availability and lack of consistency of technology to enable meaningful conversations across countries through use of skype, teleconference/videoconference, webinar. Different organisations have access to different technologies. Face to face has worked much better, particularly in building relationships across member states.

Mitigating challenges

Standardised use of technology – eg business skype. Agreed operating principles to ensure effective communication across member states.

Project gains

• teamwork
• resilience