Admiral Nurse Dementia Clinics on the High Street

Dementia UK, a national specialist nursing charity, has partnered with Nationwide Building Society, through their Social Impact strategy Fairer Futures, to respond to the urgent and growing need for specialist dementia support for families. One in two people will be affected by dementia in their lifetime, yet many families are left to cope alone due to health and social care system pressures. With people facing a delay in receiving a diagnosis, and struggling to access timely post-diagnostic support, there is a pressing need to find innovative ways to deliver dementia care.

The flagship innovation is a UK-wide programme of free, confidential face-to-face dementia clinics delivered in Nationwide branches, open to anyone affected by dementia (with or without a diagnosis, and whether they are a Nationwide customer or not). The clinics are delivered by Dementia UK’s specialist dementia nurses, known as Admiral Nurses. The shared partnership aim is to support 100,000 people living with dementia and their carers, empowering them to have the best life possible, for as long as possible.

Appointments are 45 minutes each, and take place in a private space in-branch, offering tailored practical and emotional support. Clinics are held in areas of high need and where support is lacking, including in rural and coastal communities where isolation can be greater. Nationwide also funds Admiral Nurse capacity on Dementia UK’s Helpline and virtual clinics. To date, more than 6,028 clinic appointments have been booked across over 257 branches, supporting 10,335 people affected by dementia.