Service : Memory Clinic (Slough)

Service overview

We can assess, diagnose, and provide treatment if you’re concerned that you’re becoming more forgetful or having difficulty with your memory and concentrating.

Assessing memory problems early means we can offer the right treatments, manage your symptoms, and help plan life decisions for the future.

We do this by:

Talking with you and your family about your memory problems, and offer you further tests and possibly head scans.
Arranging an appointment with our consultant Psychiatrist to talk about the right treatment options for you.
Refer you to our Dementia Care Advisor (DCA), Carer’s Lead, and our Living Well Programme.
Guide you to other relevant agencies that we think will help.

Accessing our service

Our service is for older adults, aged over. We suggest talking to your GP first if you have concerns about yourself or your loved one’s memory.

Your GP will offer to assess your memory, which could include a cognitive test and a full blood test to find any possible underlying health conditions.

Based on these results, your GP may then refer you to us for further testing.

Referral criteria

Your GP will check your results against our referral criteria, and let you know if they can direct you to our service.

Your results must show evidence of:

Memory decline > 6months with collateral information
Possible memory impairment, based on cognitive test scores
Demetia Blood Screening:
Full Complete Blood count
Erythrocyte Sedimentation rate (ESR)
C-reactive protein (CRP).
Urea, Creatinine and electrolytes.
Calcium, Bone Profile
HbA1c.
Liver function tests.
Thyroid function tests.
Serum B12 and Total Vitamin D
Ferritin and Folate levels
Other investigations that may be appropriate if clinically indicated include urine microscopy and culture, chest X-ray, electrocardiogram (ECG), syphilis serology, and HIV testing.
Reversible causes of cognitive decline have been investigated. They include vitamin deficiencies, infections/delirium, depression, sensory impairment or cognitive impairment from medicines associated with increased anticholinergic burden.

We’ll send you a confirmation letter if we’re able to accept your referral.

We may also call you to find out more information to help us better understand your concerns. We’ll then arrange your first assessment, either in our clinic or as a home visit.

Preparing for an assessment

We’ll send an appointment letter along with an information leaflet, which explains what to expect in your assessment.

Your first memory assessment will be around one to two hours long.

You’re welcome to bring a family member or friend to join. As they know you well, they may be able to explain the difficulties or changes you’ve been experiencing.

What to expect

We recommend that you and your family read a guide from Next Steps, which explains what’s involved in a memory assessment.

Next Steps is a part of the Dementia Change Action Network (DCAN), which is a collaboration between Alzheimer’s Society, NHS England & Improvement, and the Coalition for Personalised Care.

View Next steps

Assessing your memory

Memory issues are complex. Like your GP appointment, we’ll offer different tests to help us learn more about your memory issues.

This will include a cognitive test, which will show a functional scoring to see if you show signs of decline in your memory.

We then use your assessment report to make a diagnosis. We may offer further scans and tests if we need more information.

Our consultant psychiatrist will invite you to a diagnostic review to talk about what we have found, and the right treatment options for you.

Diagnosis and treatment

If we confirm that you have Dementia, we’ll offer post-diagnostic support, such as:

Information about dementia and local support services

An offer to participate in medical research
Introduction to a Dementia Care Advisor
Participation in Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST) if applicable
Guide you to a Speech and Language Therapist, if necessary
Register you into our Living Well Programme

What are the treatments for dementia?

Managing your health

What is dementia?

Dementia Awareness Video for people who may be in contact with individuals diagnosed with Dementia.

Your e-Health Passport

Your e-Health Passport lets us know what's important to you - from your preferred name and pronouns to how you'd like us to support you and communicate with you.

Learn more

Contact us and FAQs

Slough Memory Clinic

Contact number: 0300 247 3001 Open Monday – Friday, 9am-5pm

Email: sloughopmh@berkshire.nhs.uk

Frequently asked questions

How long do I need to wait for the assessment?

Our waiting times can vary. You can always contact the clinic for the most up to date information.

Can we have priority appointments, as their memory and health have deteriorated abruptly?

We suggest contacting your GP if your/their health has become suddenly worse, to rule out infections or other physical health problems.

Can we still get advice after we get discharged?

Yes, through our Dementia Care Advisor (DCA) and Carer’s Lead. They will continue to facilitate groups and activities as well as provide guidance and advice when needed.

Our clinic's full involvement typically comes to an end once we’ve provided a diagnosis and agreed on a treatment plan, such as medication, with you and your family.

Your GP can continue prescribing your medication, and can regularly check your physical health. Your GP can always re-refer if there is a significant decline in health and cognitive ability.

What things can I do to keep my brain ‘healthy’?

You can boost cognitive stimulation through regular activities, including physical exercise and social events such as playing sports, regular walking trips, or swimming.

An active social life with others can play a vital role in strong cognitive function, and in some cases can be an alternative to typical medication.

We can also help you with

Is there any information for friends, family and carers?

If you’re a family member/carer or you look after someone, there’s practical, financial, and emotional support available to you from a range of local communities and national organisations.

How do I request an interpreter?

We can provide language translation and interpretation support whenever you visit or contact us.

Tell our staff which language you prefer to use, and we will make sure the right communication support is in place for your assessment and treatment. Please let us know as early as possible so we can ensure the appropriate translation or interpreting support is available.

We offer a range of professional services to ensure everyone can understand and be understood:

telephone interpreting
video remote interpreting (VRI)
face‑to‑face interpreting
written translation
British Sign Language (BSL) interpreting

How can I get information in an accessible format?

Anyone with a disability, impairment, or sensory loss has the right to receive information in a format that meets their needs. Under the Accessible Information Standard (AIS)—a legal requirement for all health and adult social care providers—we must ensure that people who use our services, including carers and families, can understand the information we provide and communicate effectively with us.

We can offer information in a range of accessible formats, including:

British Sign Language (BSL)
large print
braille
audio
easy Read
email
text message
face‑to‑face support with a carer or advocate present

If you need information in any of these formats, please tell a member of our team and we will make sure your communication needs are met.

Are service dogs allowed to my appointment?

Yes. You are welcome to bring your registered service animal, such as a guide dog, hearing dog, medical alert dog, or other trained assistance dog to your appointment.

These animals are recognised as essential support and are permitted in most areas of our services.

To help us prepare, please let the team know before your appointment if you will be attending with a service animal. This allows us to make sure the environment is safe and comfortable for you, your animal, and other patients.

Please note that service animals may not be able to enter certain restricted clinical areas for safety or infection‑control reasons, but we will always work with you to find an appropriate alternative.

Treating our team with respect.

Respect is important.

We will be polite and kind and we expect that you treat our staff in the same way.

Abuse, hate and discrimination against our staff is unacceptable.

We will take strong action against anyone who is verbally, racially, physically, or sexually abusive to them.

This includes contacting the police to prosecute, and stopping future access to our healthcare services.