East Kent Rapid Transfer Dementia Service

The East Kent Rapid Transfer Dementia Service (EKRTDS) launched in 2020 and is a specialist dementia service based at the Kent and Canterbury hospital in Kent.

The service offers specialist mental health and dementia care assessment for people with a diagnosis or probable diagnosis of dementia with complex needs. We work with people on the Kent and Canterbury Hospital’s acute wards, however, this can be extended to the William Harvey Hospital at Ashford and the Queen Elizabeth Queen Mother Hospital at Margate.

We see a number of people with cognitive impairment or a dementia diagnosis at the Kent and Canterbury Hospital whose discharge can be delayed due to a variety of reasons.

Our involvement can last up to four-six weeks as required, and we will follow the person’s discharge from hospital into their chosen care home placement for specialist follow up input.

The service consists of a team leader, community psychiatric nurses, occupational therapists and support workers.