Thank you for your recent Freedom of Information request. Please see our response below.
You asked:
1. Does your organisation provide or contract out cognitive interventions, including Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST), as part of post-diagnostic services for dementia patients?
a. If you contract this out please can you confirm the provider(s)?
2. What is the current waiting period for patients to access cognitive interventions including CST at your organisation?
3. How many psychologists currently work in services delivering cognitive interventions to dementia patients in your organisation?
4. Are there other healthcare professionals, allied health professionals or support staff who deliver cognitive interventions specifically CST to dementia patients in your organisation?
5. Regarding Cognitive Stimulation Therapy specifically:
a. How many CST groups does your organisation currently run concurrently?
b. How many CST sessions have been delivered in the 2024/25 financial year to date?
c. What is the average size of a CST group in your organisation?
d. Is there currently a waiting list for CST groups? If so, how many patients are on it?
6. Does your organisation offer online CST services? If so:
a. How many online CST groups do you run per year?
b. What is the average size of an online CST group?
7. What was the budget allocation for CST in your organisation for the 2024/25 financial year?
8. Please provide the budget allocations for CST in your organisation for the financial years 2021/22, 2022/23, and 2023/24.
Our response:
The Trust does not currently provide or contracted out Cognitive Stimulation Services (CST). The Trust does however signpost to paid external services who can provide CST.
You asked:
9. What recorded plans or strategies does your organisation have to expand access to CST? For clarity this may be a dementia strategy, a planned response to the Memory Services Spotlight Audit National Report 2023/24 or clinical service development plans.
Our response:
The Trust does not currently have plans or a strategy to expand access to CST. There is a Gloucestershire Integrated Care System Dementia Strategy, which is publicly available here.