BURNHAM fundraisers are campaigning to bring specialist dementia nurses to the area.

Julia Mells, and fellow members of ‘Support an Essex Admiral Nurse’ (SEAN), are hoping to raise enough money to get admiral nurses commissioned in Essex.

The nurses are specially trained to offer support to the families of those suffering with dementia, however there are none operating out of Essex.

Julia says this is something which should be put right as soon as possible.

She said: “We want to support Dementia UK and the work they do in providing admiral nurses to families whose relatives are suffering with dementia.

“When a person gets a diagnosis of dementia it is a devastating thing. These nurses provide so much support to families, they really are priceless.”

That support is something Julia wishes had been available to her family after her father, Michael was diagnoses with Dementia.

She said: “It is a big problem. The fact that these nurses are available and trained to support families is vital. Where they have been commissioned they have helped to reduce the numbers of people being admitted to hospital following diagnosis.

“My father was diagnoses with dementia last year. We have not had a terribly good experience with the care system. I don’t want to be negative about it, but they are under so much pressure that they have become overstretched.

“The admiral nurses can alleviate some of that pressure, and in the long run save the NHS money.”

SEAN have organised a number of fundraising activities, starting with a coffee morning as part of Dementia UK’s ‘Time for a Cuppa’ campaign.

The morning will be held at Burnham Town Council offices, off Chapel Road, between 11am and 1pm on Saturday, March 4.

For more information about SEAN, visit the group’s Facebook page at facebook.com/ essexadmiralnurse.