Guest speaker talks about several Comets
Two out of every three people diagnosed with dementia have been denied vital care, new figures reveal.
Only 36 per cent of patients are getting the minimum follow- up treatment from NHS Ayrshire & Arran.
Patients are supposed to receive a minimum of 12 months support under rules set by the Scottish Government.
But most recent figures for 2016/ 17 show the number of local patients being referred has fallen far below standards.
Ayr MSP, John Scott, has branded the figures a “disgrace”.
He said: “Nearly 900 people locally missed out on a support package they are entitled to receive.
“There is clear evidence that this high quality post- diagnostic support is essential.
“That nearly two out of three local people with dementia are not getting the support to which they are entitled is little short of a disgrace.
“I am calling on the Scottish Government to intervene in order to ensure that their own guarantee of a minimum of 12 months post- diagnostic support is delivered here in Ayrshire.”
South of Scotland list Labour MSP Colin Smyth, deputy convenor of the Scottish Parliament’s Cross Party Group on dementia said the figures were not good enough and slammed the Scottish Government for failing to meet their own targets.
“Dementia has serious life changing impacts that affect not only the person living with the condition but their family and friends,” he added.
“The SNP Government must take immediate steps to improve dementia care across Ayrshire and Arran, and make the resources available to the local NHS so all newly diagnosed dementia sufferers get the support they need.”
Professor Hazel Borland, nurse director at the health board, said: “NHS Ayrshire & Arran is committed to ensuring that every person newly diagnosed with dementia receives a minimum of one year postdiagnostic support.
“We can confirm that through our continued improvement work our current performance rate is more than 80 per cent.”
Minister for Mental Health Clare At the last meeting of the Astronomers of the Future Club in Troon guest speaker Nick Martin, of the Ayrshire Astronomical Society, talked about “Comets”.
There are several comets in the night sky at present, though all are below naked- eye visibility.
Nick began by identifying the structural features of comets: the extensive coma or head composed of gases given off from the tiny nucleus of rock and ice within, the blue ‘ ion tail’ of gases, and the white dust tail, both of them driven off by sunlight pressure and always pointing away from the Sun.
The particles of the curving dust tail spread along the Haughey said: “Over the last decade, dementia services have been modernised, supported by our world leading work on post- diagnostic support but we recognise that there is more to do to support local partnerships to extend access to this service.
“Life expectancy in Scotland is at a record high, and our growing and ageing population makes dementia more common.
“Many people are diagnosed into very old age with other chronic or terminal conditions and for some their dementia support – including in residential care – will be given as an addition to existing care packages and not reflected in the post- diagnostic figures.
“We are currently testing the re- location of dementia post- diagnostic support in primary care and we have also recently commissioned new work to examine the delivery of the service for people with a high level of additional care and support needs.”
Anyone looking for information, support or advice about dementia?
Then please call the National Dementia Helpline on 0300 222 11. comet’s orbit and give rise to meteor showers when the Earth crosses their path.
The distinctive green colour of many comae is due to carbon molecules formed from carbon dioxide under the influence of sunlight.
Nick went on to show images of the Rosetta space probe mission to Comet 67- P and the discovery that gases are emitted as jets from deep holes in the comet nucleus, before looking back at the most recent ‘ Great Comet’ of 2007, discovered by Robert McNaught from Prestwick, and before that Comet Hale- Bopp in 1996, with the largest nucleus of any naked- eye comet to date, last seen in 2230 BC during the reign of the pharaoh Pepi II.
The next meeting is Thursday February 28, 7.15pm to 9pm.
It will be held at the Barassie Works Club, Shore Road, Troon,
The speaker is Dr Neil McDonnell of Glasgow University, on ‘ Why Philosophy Matters to Safety Engineers.’
Anyone who wishes to go along to the Astronomers of the Future Club in Troon will be made most welcome at the meeting.