Plans to recruit dementia champions - graduate jobs

People looking for a graduate job in healthcare may be interested in applying to be a dementia champion under a new scheme being launched in Scotland.

The Scottish Government-funded programme is looking to employ some 300 frontline staff from hospitals by 2013 in a bid to improve standards of care.

The University of the West of Scotland and Alzheimer Scotland have already secured a deal to train the first 100 recruits this year, who will work across both the NHS and local authorities.

Five dementia nurse consultants for Alzheimer Scotland have already been employed, and talks are under way to ensure there is a nurse consultant at NHS board in Scotland.

Chief executive of Alzheimer Scotland, Henry Simmons, said: "Thanks to the generosity of the Scottish public, the many companies who donate to us and the support and funding from the Scottish Government, we are now in a position to fund an Alzheimer Scotland post in every NHS board in Scotland."

The scheme is being jointly funding by the Scottish Government and Alzheimer Scotland.

Copyright Press Association 2011