Monthly Archives: May 2017

Dementia friends in Norwich come together to help raise awareness

Dementia Friends gather at The Forum in Norwich for National Dementia Week.

Picture : ANTONY KELLY

More than 100 people who have trained to better understand dementia gathered on the steps outside The Forum in Norwich to show their commitment to making the city dementia-friendly.

Since January, businesses and organisations around the county have been working hard to ensure they are dementia friendly, training their staff to better understand the illness which is set to rise in prevalence by 35pc in Norfolk over the next eight years.

There are now more than 40 members taking part in the bid – among them EDP and Evening News publisher Archant – all pledging support and specific objectives pledges.

Susan Ringwood, chief executive of Age UK Norwich, said: “It’s about us all thinking and understanding more about dementia.”

In Norfolk, some 14,000 people have dementia, but experts believe the figure will rise to 19,000 by 2025.

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First dedicated mental health unit for mothers and babies to open in the region

One of just three new units in the country

Jessica Bannister and family. New mothers with serious mental health problems will be able to receive specialist inpatient help closer to home as the regions mental health trust is set to open the areas first dedicated mother and baby mental health unit.

New mothers with serious mental health problems will be able to receive specialist inpatient help closer to home when Norfolk and Suffolk NHS FT opens the region’s first dedicated mother and baby mental health unit.

The eight-bed unit – which will ensure mums and their newborns can stay together while the mother is receiving acute psychiatric care – will be based at Hellesdon Hospital, in Norwich. Due to open in 2018, it will take referrals from across Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire, as well as other parts of the country.

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Crowds gather in Norwich city centre to join March for Mental Health

Large crowds were drawn to today’s March for Mental Health in Norwich.

Photo by Andrew Day.

Hundreds of people of all ages gathered in Norwich city centre to add their voices to the call for better mental health services and to protest against cuts to the NHS.

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