The Hunter Medical Research Institute’s Dementia Exchange will trial a new dementia screening service through local pharmacies in 2027, aimed at helping identify early warning signs and making it easier for people to take the first step towards assessment and support.
Participating pharmacists would help identify people who may benefit from further assessment and connect them with appropriate support services. With no single test able to confirm dementia, diagnosis can be a long and complex process, and a more accessible entry point could help people begin that pathway sooner.
Dementia is Australia’s number one cause of death and it hits the Hunter New England region 22% harder than the national average.
With over 25,000 residents already living with dementia, two-thirds of them women, and an 80% increase projected by 2054, our community desperately needs solutions.
Dementia Exchange Lead, Professor Beata Bajorek, HMRI Brain Health researcher and Clinical Academic Pharmacist at the University of Newcastle and Hunter New England Local Health District, says the pharmacy-based approach aims to reduce some of the barriers to care.
“Pharmacies are trusted and accessible places within the community and could play a greater role in helping people take that first step when they have concerns about changes with their memory or thinking.”
Set to start rolling out in 2027, the pilot will be developed with input from pharmacists, GPs, other health services, people living with dementia, as well as their families and carers, ensuring the service reflects the needs of the communities it is designed to support.
“Most importantly, we want to design this service with the community, not simply for the community. The experiences of people living with dementia, carers, families and health professionals will be critical to getting it right,” says Professor Bajorek.
The pilot has been made possible through the generous donors who supported the HMRI Ball.
HMRI is also seeking expressions of interest from people who would like to help shape its future work through a new Dementia Community Advisory Group.
The group will bring together people living with dementia, carers, healthcare professionals and community representatives to provide ongoing advice, guidance and lived-experience perspectives on dementia research translation, community education, engagement and the development of dementia-friendly resources and initiatives.
“Having the right voices around the table from the beginning is essential to developing solutions and activities that genuinely reflect the needs of our communities,” says HMRI Chief Strategy and Performance Officer Emma Konik.
The HMRI Dementia Exchange brings research, practical tools and care solutions closer to people living with dementia, their families and health professionals across the Hunter New England region. It is focused on turning research into practical support that can be used in the community, rather than waiting years for new approaches to reach people.
Its work is centred on four areas: improving awareness and understanding of dementia, making it easier to identify risk and concerns earlier, bringing treatment and prevention opportunities closer to home, and improving everyday care and support for people living with dementia.
Learn more or register your interest in the HMRI Dementia Community Advisory Group at hmri.org.au/dementia-exchange.
