NHS bosses, keen to guage public opinion on dementia services, have organised an extra session of Q&As for people to express their views.

At the beginning of October NHS East London and the City a consultation was launched on improving in-patient services for people with dementia in east London and the City, called older people modern services. It proposes to change the way in-patient services for people with dementia are provided across east London and the City so more resources can be put into treating people in their own homes.

Over the last few months, staff from NHS East London and the City, who plan dementia care in the area and representatives of the staff who provide these services have been talking to local people and groups about the proposed changes. As well as going to community groups they have invited the community to a number of question and answer sessions across.

Now, to get as many people’s views as possible NHS East London and the City have scheduled two further dates for question and answer sessions:

One will be held on November 10 at 3pm to 5pm at St Mark’s Church and Community Centre, in East Ham.

Another will be held on November 22 in Hackney.

The NHS is proposing to improve services by closing underused in-patient wards which are based in Newham, Hackney and Tower Hamlets and providing, high-quality services from a single base at Mile End Hospital. The money saved will be invested in services in the community.

Marie Gabriel, Chair of NHS East London and the City, said: “Many people with dementia are now assessed early, diagnosed and then receive specialist support at home, rather than having to go to hospital.

“We need people who use these services, carers, local people, NHS staff, community organisations and other organisations with an interest in these services to tell us what they think about the proposals.”

To tell the NHS what you think about dementia services you can down load the document and give your views online at:

www.towerhamlets.nhs.uk/dementiaconsultation, by emailing consultation@elc.nhs.uk.

The consultation ends on November 30 2011.