Dementia UK recognises the achievements of three pioneering Admiral Nurses for people living with dementia
Dementia UK, a charity providing specialist dementia support, has awarded three of its Admiral Nurses for 20 years’ of service. The awards recognized Alison Coignard, Dr Julia Botsford and Debbie Hawkins as providing exceptional standards of care and support to families facing dementia, helping to define what it means to be an Admiral Nurse.
Admiral Nurses provide the specialist dementia support that families need. When things get challenging or difficult, Admiral Nurses work alongside families affected by dementia, giving them one-to-one support, expert guidance and practical solutions, helping families face dementia with more confidence and less fear.
Alison Coignard was one of the first ever Admiral Nurses since 1993, providing impeccable support to people living with dementia through the Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust. She is now employed directly on the Admiral Nurse Dementia Helpline, using her knowledge and experience for families who most need it.
Dr Julia Botsford has held a number of positions in clinical practice including working as a Senior Admiral Nurse at Barnet, Enfield and Haringey until 2015. With her extensive 
experience, she has published a book entitled ‘Dementia, Culture and Ethnicity’ providing insight on how culture can impact on the provision of dementia support and care. She also balances her time working on the Admiral Nurse Dementia Helpline.
Debbie Hawkins led the Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust for many years, before going on to work on the Admiral Nurse Dementia Helpline in 2014. Debbie has been pivotal in realising the appropriate way of communicating a diagnosis of dementia to a family. In addition, she has led the way in helping people with learning disabilities who then go on to develop dementia.
Commenting on the awards, Dr Hilda Hayo, Chief Admiral Nurse and CEO at Dementia UK, said, “It’s an absolute privilege to recognise the long-standing service of these three amazing Admiral Nurses. All of them have been at the heart of key developments within Dementia UK as we constantly look to increase specialist dementia support. They are simply great examples of what it means to be an Admiral Nurse – a practical and emotional lifeline to families living with dementia.”
There are currently 212 Admiral Nurses working across England, Scotland and Wales and Dementia UK’s target is to have 300 in place by 2020.
