A PIONEERING service for young dementia sufferers has had more than 300 referrals in its first year – nearly double the number anticipated.

Notts Healthcare Trust's Working Age Dementia Service is aimed at anyone under the age of 65.

Patients have access to a consultant psychiatrist, neuro- psychologist and consultant neurologist and the service is led by occupational therapy consultant Tracey Wilkinson.

It is estimated there are 247 people aged 30 to 64 with dementia in Notts and this is expected to rise in the next decade.

The service is the first in the country to be run by an occupational therapist and serves both the city and county.

Miss Wilkinson said: "We had a predicted prevalence of about 180 referrals so 301 is higher than what we were thinking, which is great.

"It's been a busy and exciting year, and I think we have learned a lot."

Jim Radburn, 59, from Hucknall campaigned for the service.

His wife, Tina, suffered from dementia and died two years ago at just 58 years old.

He said: "This service has been put together by the people who need it and their carers.

"It is just phenomenal."

Younger people are more likely to be in work at the time of diagnosis, have dependent children or family and often have a rarer form of dementia.

The service aims to help these people continue working and live their life in spite of their diagnosis.

Previously, people have experienced difficulty accessing support appropriate to their age as much of the current provision is aimed at older people.

They may also have been passed through a number of different services, such as adult mental health and neurology, before the appropriate one is found. Miss Wilkinson said the new service was putting an end to this as GPs are being made aware of it, as are other departments within the trust.

Last month, the Post reported that a new regional centre of excellence for patients suffering from working age dementia and other brain disorders was planned for Notts.

Miss Wilkinson said: "We are hoping that the Working Age Dementia Service would be based within new centre, which will centralise services, expertise, skills and a clear pathway for care for working age dementia."

Karen Middleton, dementia support manager at The Alzheimer's Society Nottingham and Notts, said the service had made a real difference.

"Younger people with dementia are now being diagnosed much more quickly, resulting in them being able to access services and be given appropriate, timely information and support in a way which suits them best," she said.