Introduction: Clinicians approach the challenging task of communicating a dementia diagnosis in various ways. In-service training was developed in 2023 to improve clinicians’ skills in this area and implemented in two memory clinics in Melbourne. The impacts of this training were evaluated using the method of Most Significant Change (MSC).
Method: MSC is a structured qualitative evaluation method in which participants’ narratives about the impacts of an intervention are gathered and analysed in a workshop. A modified MSC process was used in 2024 to evaluate the impacts of the in-service training on clinicians. Nineteen MSC narratives were extracted from clinicians’ verbal accounts and were processed in a three-hour workshop attended by the research team and four managers from the participating memory clinics.
Results: The themes identified in the MSC workshop highlighted processes and outcomes involved in improving practice in communicating a dementia diagnosis: Checking in with the client (five stories); Tailoring information (four stories); Reflecting on current practice (three stories); Providing hope (two stories); and Increased confidence (one story). While most of these themes were anticipated and reflected the goals of the training, tailoring information was an unanticipated theme. The two overall “best” stories selected in the workshop highlighted: greater focus on the client; and the clinician having more confidence to take an active role in diagnosis feedback sessions on the client’s behalf.
Conclusions: MSC stories elicited from participating clinicians identified improved confidence, changes in practice, and better client outcomes following in-service training to improve dementia diagnosis communication.