Getting to know you: Kirsty Dallison-Perry

Can you explain your new role as the Head of Consultant Admiral Nurse Services? 

In this new role at Dementia UK, the focus is on supporting the strategic expansion and leadership of Consultant Admiral Nurse services. This involves bringing the team together to provide expert clinical guidance and innovative approaches to improve dementia nursing practices, fostering a collaborative culture for professional growth and continuous enhancement within the team and organisation. Additionally, the role includes engaging in public networking, advocating for best practices, and contributing to the progression of dementia care through active research and national/global publications. 

Are you able to talk through your own pathway in nursing before arriving at Dementia UK? 

I am a Registered Mental Health Nurse and my role prior to working for Dementia UK was as Head of Nursing in an NHS Mental Health Foundation Trust.  

I have predominantly worked in Older People’s Mental Health Services since qualifying, firstly within the community in a Dementia Rapid Response and Home Treatment and as my career progressed I became Head of Nursing for all Older People’s Services. This included inpatient wards for both organic and functional older people’s mental health, care homes, memory services and community services. I am a non-medical prescriber (NMP) with a scope of practice in Dementia care and was the nursing NMP lead for the Trust as a whole.  

I have enjoyed secondments within a Head of Nursing, Professional Lead post in 2023 which gave me corporate nursing responsibilities for trust wide safeguarding, clinical governance, nursing recruitment and retention, medicines safety & optimisation and the launch and governance of the Trust’s Nursing Strategy. I have also covered Head of Nursing posts for Acute Inpatient Services (Adult MH) and other specialist mental health services.  

Why is it so important that we have Consultant Admiral Nurses in specialty areas? 

Consultant Admiral Nurses play a crucial role in the provision of dementia care, offering strategic, professional, and clinical leadership within their specialisms. They are pivotal in advising and supporting other Admiral Nurses, as well as professionals across the health and social care sector, ensuring that individuals living with dementia and their families receive the best possible care. The presence of Consultant Admiral Nurses in specialty areas ensures that tailored, high-quality care is available, which is essential for maintaining the independence and dignity of those affected by dementia. They cater to specific types of dementia and the unique challenges faced by certain communities. These nurses operate in specialised areas where often alternative support is scarce or non-existent.  

When did you first become interested in dementia? 

I first became interested in Dementia care when I started my first nursing student placement, this was on an older adult dementia inpatient ward, and I absolutely loved it! I then in my 3rd year as a student nurse undertook my final management placement in an older adult community mental health team and really enjoyed working in the community with older adults. I enjoyed the unpredictability of community working and trying to support and empower people to live at home for as long as possible and I also found it really rewarding working with the families, carers and friends of those supporting their loved ones in the community.  

I have lived experience of supporting someone living with dementia too. My Grandmother had dementia and as a family, we supported her for as long as we could at home but she became very vulnerable living alone and sadly amongst other safety concerns, was the victim of doorstep fraud. We supported her to move into a lovely care home in which we had a very good experience with the care they provided.  

What excites you most about this new role? 

I am thrilled at the prospect of collaborating with Consultant Admiral Nurses, fostering their unity as a team, and providing the necessary support and governance to ensure the safe and robust expansion of their services. Additionally, I am eager to explore which other specialties could gain from the expertise of a Consultant Admiral Nurse by assessing needs throughout the UK, engaging with colleagues at Dementia UK, and forming alliances with broader external partners.