The Castle Practice

The Health Centre | Taylors Avenue | Carrickfergus | BT38 7HU

What is Dementia Guidance?

Dementia Guidance provides a guide to free services available throughout the UK to people with dementia and their families. There are benefits and services that are available without any cost being involved. Even though you are faced with the life changing diagnosis of dementia, there is no method of automatically telling you about these services.

The purpose of this information is to provide you with a short list of suggestions to put you on the right track. There are several fantastic charities who have plenty of good advice and offer tremendous services, this is a brief guide bases on someone’s experience.

There are a number of broad groups of guidance:-

  1. Free benefits available to everyone with dementia whatever your income.
  2. Registering Power of Atorney, there are two to consider and they are chargeable
  3. Free advice from Charities
  4. Advisory and social groups for the person with dementia and their carers and separate groups for carers only. (you may have to pay for a cup of tea or coffee)
  5. Respite Care. One essential aspect is that if someone is caring for their partner or friend they must make time for themselves, otherwise both they and the person with dementia will suffer.
  6. Contingency Plans. Just in case you as the carer have an accident, major or minor you need to have set in place contact and care details should either the emergency services or your friends and family need to take over for a while.

Please download the leaflet below for more information on these benefits:

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Patients who Did Not Attend their appointments

DID NOT ATTEND (DNA)

DURING THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY 2026

260 APPOINTMENTS WERE NOT ATTENDED

Patients complain that they cannot get an appointment, yet in 1 month alone a total of 260 appointments were not attended with no reason

What does this mean to YOU?………

12 minutes of wasted GP time per appointment

= 52 hours (6.5 working days) of wasted GP appointment time

How many times during these 52 hours were YOU not able to get an appointment?

5 minutes of wasted clerical time per patient contact

= 21 hours (2.5 working days) of wasted clerical time

How many times during these 21 hours were YOU trying to book an appointment?

You can cancel your appointment in the following ways:

by phoning or texting our mobile number – 07813 985 168

by emailing reception at [email protected]

Further detailed information – https://www.castlepractice.co.uk/?p=14066&preview=true 

Castle Practice

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE SURGERY WILL BE

CLOSED FOR TRAINING FROM 1:00 PM

ON WEDNESDAY 25th FEBRUARY 2026

 

AND WILL RE-OPEN AT 8:30 AM ON

THURSDAY 26th FEBRUARY 2026

 

IF YOU REQUIRE URGENT MEDICAL CARE

PLEASE DIAL 028 9331 5804