6D Dementia is a clinically developed digital workforce development platform that supports health and social care staff and family caregivers to better understand dementia, recognise and respond to distress, and deliver consistent, person-centred support.
The company was independently developed by Dr Frances Duffy, informed by insights gained through years of frontline clinical practice supporting people living with dementia. “After more than 15 years working in older people’s mental health services, I repeatedly saw people living with dementia experience distress not because of dementia itself, but because their needs were misunderstood or responses were shaped by pressure, fear or risk. Staff and carers wanted to help, but often lacked a shared framework, confidence or practical tools to guide their decisions.
“6D Dementia was created to bridge that gap, translating psychological theory and evidence into practical, accessible training that supports real-world care. While early delivery focused on in-person training and consultancy, it quickly became clear that digital delivery was essential to achieve scale, consistency and sustainability,” said Frances.
The company has been supported through a combination of clinical networks, academic partnerships and innovation programmes, including the NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme, Invest NI, InterTradeIreland, Innovate UK, national Health Innovation Networks, regional support through HIRANI, and Awaken Hub. This support has provided both practical and strategic insight to enable platform development, evaluation and sustainable growth.
“I am the Founder and CEO of 6D Dementia, as well as a Consultant Clinical Psychologist and NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Fellow. My role includes clinical leadership, product development, partnerships, evaluation and ensuring that everything we deliver remains grounded in evidence and lived experience.
“I do this work because people living with dementia deserve care that is compassionate, consistent and psychologically informed, and staff deserve training that genuinely supports confidence, skill and resilience. Improving dementia care is about dignity, connection and better outcomes for everyone involved.
6D Dementia is based in Northern Ireland, with delivery across the UK and beyond.
“Northern Ireland has been an excellent base for this work, offering a close-knit health and innovation ecosystem, strong academic links and growing momentum around digital health and workforce innovation. The support of organisations such as HIRANI has been invaluable in helping the company grow in a structured and collaborative way.”
6D Dementia delivers a three-tier digital workforce development platform that supports health and social care staff and family caregivers to provide consistent, person-centred dementia care across settings:
- Tier 1: CPD-accredited micro-learning modules that build core understanding of dementia, distress, communication and person-centred care, supporting a shared language
- Tier 2: Practical digital tools and facilitated workshops that support care planning and consistent approaches to care
- Tier 3: Implementation and leadership support to embed learning into everyday practice and organisational culture
The platform is used by NHS services, local authorities, care homes, domiciliary care providers, and community and voluntary organisations supporting people living with dementia and their family caregivers.
6D Dementia goes beyond traditional dementia training by providing a psychologically informed framework that supports a shared language and approach for staff and family caregivers, helping them understand what is happening, why it is happening, and how to respond effectively. Unlike many dementia training programmes that are designed for a single care context, 6D can be applied consistently across inpatient and community services, including acute hospital settings.
By delivering training digitally, 6D overcomes common workforce challenges such as releasing multiple staff for face-to-face training and supporting high staff turnover. New and existing staff can access learning flexibly, supporting consistent practice and sustained improvements in dementia care.
“We launched across an Integrated Care Board in the UK in 2025, with delivery spanning NHS, local authority, voluntary and domiciliary care services. Over the coming year, we will be working with Ulster University and a health economist to complete comprehensive clinical outcomes and economic impact analyses.
“We will also be onboarding additional NHS organisations, care homes and education partners, with training already commissioned by a number of organisations, while continuing to expand platform content focused on understanding and responding to distress, crisis prevention, maintaining independence and quality of life, and supporting workforce wellbeing.
“Dementia care is one of the defining challenges facing health and social care systems. Supporting the workforce with the right tools, shared language and confidence is one of the most powerful ways to improve outcomes for people living with dementia and those who support them. I’m grateful for the role that regional and national innovation networks play in enabling 6D Dementia to grow and make a meaningful difference.”
