Bring me sunshine is the dementia strategy for North Yorkshire.
It is based on the experiences of people living with dementia, their carers and health and social care experts. It contains important messages about what matters to people living with dementia.
It sets out ambitions to improve the way our communities can be more dementia friendly and how services can better support those who live with dementia.
Dementia strategy background
In 2009 the UK government published the National Dementia Strategy. You can find an accessible version on the Government website. This strategy helped local services:
- make improvements to dementia services
- tackle health inequalities relating to dementia
The Prime Minister's Challenge on Dementia 2020 was published in February 2015. This set out the Government's aspirations for what the NHS and partners would deliver up to 2020.
Bring me sunshine - celebration report
Since the launch of Bring me sunshine, individuals, volunteers and groups have worked together to make North Yorkshire a place where people can live well with dementia.
Successes include:
- the Making It Happen Conference in Scarborough
- creating a dementia friendly railway on The Bentham Line - find out more on the Bentham Line website
Work continues around the themes of:
- workforce development
- diagnosis
- support and advice
- planning for the future and dying well
The celebration report includes details about each area and includes selected case studies.
Alongside the ongoing work in the local groups, the countywide board developed its own action plan to address some of the wider commitments from the strategy.
Contact us for more information.
Themes, principles and priorities
Almost 1,300 people living with dementia helped develop the strategy. They have described the things that are important to them. These include:
- challenging the stigma associated with dementia
- the importance of early diagnosis
- ensuring consistent care and support
- seeing the person, not the dementia
- supporting people living with a learning disability and dementia
- the value and importance of carers support
- planning for the future and dying well
The action plan has four key principles. These are:
- I am me - I am not dementia - I have a name and I expect it to be used
- Carers matter - treat them as well as they treat us
- The small things - small acts of understanding can make a huge difference
- Consistency - where I live should not determine how I am treated
Local implementation
North Yorkshire has many local dementia groups. They help improve the lives and communities of people living with dementia. Together these groups implement the dementia strategy within their areas.
The groups are:
- Hambleton Dementia Action Alliance
- Richmondshire Dementia Action Alliance
- Hambleton and Richmondshire Collaborative
- Whitby Dementia Action Alliance
- Scarborough Dementia Action Alliance
- Ryedale Dementia Friendly Community
- Selby Dementia Friendly Community
- Harrogate System Leaders Group and Harrogate Dementia Action Alliance
- Craven Advisory Group
The Craven Advisory Group gives support to other local groups including Skipton Dementia Friendly Community, Bentham Dementia Friendly Community, Grassington Dementia Friendly Community and Settle Dementia Friendly Community.
Each group has a local action plan which will feed into the wider North Yorkshire Action Plan. These plans will be made available to view in due course. The partner groups will produce an annual report on progress.
Get involved
For more information or to get involved with your local group, please contact us.