Our great friend Derek T Barron, who we have been honoured to work with over the last four years, shares the new Erskine Dementia Strategy

Strategies come and strategies go, I’ve been involved in a fair few over the years in my time as an NHS Scotland nurse leader. Some have achieved what they set out to do, others, while ambitious have not achieved their desired outcomes.  However without a vision of what you want to achieve or what you want to happen it is difficult, as an organisation, to ensure we are all heading in the same direction, it is also difficult to know if you’ve improved/developed your services.

That vision is the basis of Erskine’s Dementia Strategy (this link will take you away from our website).

Erskine, as an organisation, want to ensure our staff know what we want to achieve, what are the things that are important to us – the document calls them ‘assurances’. The assurance are a reflection of what are important to our residents, to our relatives, to our staff and to our regulator.

Involvement

Staff have been involved in developing the strategy, our residents and relatives haven’t been directly involved in the writing of the document, it does however reflect their feedback and comments through our regular residents/relatives survey.

Implementation

Implementation of the strategy will be lead by our Dementia Nurse Consultant Janice McAlister, however leadership throughout the organisation will be essential in us effectively delivering our ‘assurances.’

Having worked with Tommy for a number of years I was delighted when he said he’d share our strategy on this blog page – Tommy has been part of our foundation in developing the strategy having delivered a number of sessions, across our Homes. Education is a cornerstone of what we want to achieve, for our staff to share and learn from Tommy’s experience has touched the hearts of those who’ve heard him. These sessions were clear demonstrations of the need to pursue our #makeadifference goals with passion and enthusiasm.

This strategy evidences our #makeadifference ambitions over the next three years.

About Erskine

Erskine (this link will take you away from our website) is Scotland’s pre-eminent provider of care for veterans and their spouses in four purpose-built care homes. We have been providing care for over 100 years.

End of page.

You may also like:

Written by: Kerry Ritchie, Programme Manager – Lived Experience, Integration and Engagement Hub Published: 14/04/2026

As part of our 20 year anniversary, Kerry shares her reflections on how far the ALLIANCE has come, our achievements, and our impact.

Continue reading
Written by: Sara Redmond, Chief Officer, the ALLIANCE Published: 02/04/2026

In her latest TFN column, our Chief Officer Sara Redmond reflects on 20 years since Scotland moved to put children at the centre of policy.

Continue reading
Written by: Hannah Buckingham, Senior External Affairs Adviser, Macmillan Cancer Support Published: 30/03/2026

Cancer care in Scotland is at a critical moment. Macmillan is calling for urgent action ahead of the parliamentary elections in May

Continue reading
Written by: Mhairi Campbell, Lecturer in Law at the University of the West of Scotland and is a lead author of Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder and the Welfare State: Recommendations for Reform. She leads the teaching on social security law. Published: 27/03/2026

Mhairi Campbell reflects on Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) not being recognised as having a severe impact on life.

Continue reading
Written by: Louise Hall, Pain Health & Wellbeing Coach, Pain Association Scotland Published: 11/03/2026

Louise Hall from Pain Association Scotland reflects on the event she delivered as part of Self Management Week 2025.

Continue reading
Written by: Lauren Ferrier, Events and Communications Officer and Jane Miller, Academy Programme Manager, the ALLIANCE and Gozie Joe-Adigwe, Digital Network Officer, the ALLIANCE and Rhona McMillan, Development Officer, the ALLIANCE Published: 20/02/2026

Read some reflections from ALLIANCE colleagues, who had the opportunity to sponsor and attend Scotland's Annual Human Rights Conference.

Continue reading
Back to all opinions