In plain English
Admiral Nurses are specialist dementia nurses providing expert support to families. They work for Dementia UK, and increasingly within NHS trusts, hospices and primary care. The national Admiral Nurse Dementia Helpline is available to anyone in the UK.
Who Admiral Nurses are
Admiral Nurses are registered nurses with specialist training in dementia care, employed by Dementia UK either directly or through partnerships with NHS trusts, hospices, primary care networks and other organisations. The role is named after a person who lived with dementia, Joseph Levy CBE, whose family established Dementia UK in his memory.
What they do
Admiral Nurses focus on the whole family, not just the person with dementia. They provide:
- Specialist clinical advice on dementia;
- Psychological support for carers, including grief and anticipatory grief;
- Practical advice on managing behavioural symptoms;
- Help navigating the health and social care system;
- Support during crises and transitions (hospital admission, residential care, end of life);
- Advocacy and signposting to other services;
- Training and education for family carers.
Where the role differs from a memory clinic nurse is the focus on the family system and the longitudinal relationship. An Admiral Nurse may support a family from diagnosis through to bereavement and beyond.
How to access
The Admiral Nurse Dementia Helpline
Available to anyone in the UK, free, on 0800 888 6678. Open Monday to Friday 9am to 9pm, Saturday and Sunday 9am to 5pm, with a closure between 12pm and 1pm. Email clinics@dementiauk.org.
The helpline is staffed by Admiral Nurses and provides confidential advice and support. Many families use it as their first port of call for difficult questions.
Closer to Home meet-ups
Dementia UK runs regular online and in-person Closer to Home group sessions led by Admiral Nurses, providing peer support and specialist input.
Community-based Admiral Nurses
In some UK regions, Admiral Nurses are based within NHS community teams, hospices, primary care networks or care homes. They provide home visits and ongoing support to families in their geographical area. Coverage is patchy; some areas have no community Admiral Nurses while others have several.
Hospital-based Admiral Nurses
An increasing number of UK hospitals have Admiral Nurses supporting families during admission. Ask the ward team or look at the hospital's dementia service information.
When to call
Common reasons for families to contact an Admiral Nurse:
- Recent diagnosis and feeling overwhelmed;
- Behavioural symptoms that are not responding to standard approaches;
- Considering residential care;
- Difficult family conversations;
- Carer burnout;
- Hospital admission of the person with dementia;
- End-of-life care planning;
- Bereavement.
How Admiral Nurses are different from other supports
| Admiral Nurse | Memory clinic | Alzheimer's Society Dementia Advisor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Focus | Family as a whole | Person with dementia primarily | Information and signposting |
| Setting | Helpline, home, community | Clinic, occasionally home | Helpline, home, community |
| Specialism | Specialist dementia nurse | Multidisciplinary diagnostic team | Trained advisor (not always clinical) |
| Duration | Longitudinal | Episodic (around appointments) | As needed |
The three services complement each other. A family may use all three at different points.
For Scotland
Alzheimer Scotland runs a 24-hour Freephone Dementia Helpline (0808 808 3000) and provides Dementia Link Workers and post-diagnostic support, broadly equivalent to the Admiral Nurse role in some respects. Some areas of Scotland also have Admiral Nurses.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Admiral Nurse Helpline free?
Yes. 0800 888 6678 is free to call from any UK phone.
Are there Admiral Nurses near me?
Coverage is patchy. The Helpline is national. Community Admiral Nurses are based in some areas. Dementia UK's website shows local provision.
Can a clinician refer to an Admiral Nurse?
Yes, where one is locally available. Families can also self-refer via the Helpline.
What is the difference between an Admiral Nurse and a Dementia Specialist Nurse?
Admiral Nurses are a specific brand of dementia specialist nurse, employed or supported by Dementia UK with shared training and supervision. Other Dementia Specialist Nurses work within NHS trusts and have similar but separately developed practice.
Do they replace the memory clinic?
No. The memory clinic provides diagnosis and prescribing. Admiral Nurses provide longitudinal family-focused support alongside.
References
- Dementia UK. https://www.dementiauk.org
- Royal College of Nursing. Dementia specialist nursing.
- Alzheimer Scotland. https://www.alzscot.org
- NICE NG97 recommendation 1.6.