Memory Assessment Service for Older People (MAS)

Following your referral to the Memory Assessment Service, your initial appointment will usually last approximately 60 to 90 minutes. We always encourage people to be accompanied by a family member or friend if possible.

We always maintain the highest levels of data protection, security and Patient confidentiality and we take our obligation to patient confidentiality seriously. In order to retain patient confidence, the Trust is committed in keeping patient information safe. You will be asked to give consent to the assessment process. Consent means a person must give permission before they receive any type of medical treatment, test or examination. The principle of consent is an important part of medial ethics and international human rights law. More information can be found by visiting the Consent to Treatment-NHS website.

A full assessment is carried out which will include discussing your current memory problems, past physical health history, any medication you may be taking and your ability to carry out day to day activities.

We will also carry out a memory assessment test during the appointment and this will look at attention, memory, language, learning and recall.

Please bring with you any hearing aids and/or glasses you may require. Please also bring with you a list of your current medications.

We may also ask you to have further investigations carried out such as blood tests, ECG (recording of the heart) and CT head scan. Some of the investigations we do are completed at other hospitals and it may take some time to get these results back. These are routine requests and nothing to be concerned about.

Depending on the outcome of your assessment, we may recommend an assessment by our Occupational Therapist or our Clinical Psychologist and Assistant Psychologist.

The whole assessment is not designed to be intrusive but to help us gather as much information as possible in order to give an accurate diagnosis during your follow up appointment.

During the follow up appointment you will again be seen by a Memory Assessment Nurse. They will discuss the outcome of your assessment including the results of any further investigations that have been received. If you do not agree with the outcome or would like a second opinion, please speak to your Memory Assessment Nurse.

If you require an interpreter for your appointments please let the team know when they contact you regarding your appointment.

Whilst you are waiting for your appointment to take place, you can also contact the Alzheimer's Society Dementia Support line on 0333 150 3456 or visit Alzheimer's Society (alzheimers.org.uk) who can give you support and advise, and connect you to the help you may need.

The waiting well leaflet also gives you details of where you can access support whilst waiting for your appointment to take place.

• Waiting well leaflet.