A DEVOTED family are campaigning for changes in the care of dementia patients - in memory of their late mum.

Health visitor Annette Holliday spoke out after her mother, former Inverclyde Royal theatre manager Joan Anderson, lost her three year battle with the devastating illness.

The retired nurse, who spent 40 years working on the wards in Inverclyde Royal, was diagnosed with early onset dementia aged only 61.

Speaking at an event to mark 70 years of the NHS Annette told the Tele how she was inspired, along with her two sisters, to follow her mum into nursing.

Now the triplets want to pay a lasting tribute to Joan by helping other families.

They are part of a new push to change the culture in hospitals and services for older people so that families are considered equal partners in their care and can stay with them for longer.

Annette, 43, from Gourock, said: "My mum was diagnosed with younger onset Alzheimer's a week after we turned 40 in November 2014.

"She worked in the NHS for 40 years before retiring in 2009."

Joan spent the remaining months of her life in the new state-of-the-art Orchard View hospital in Greenock.

Annette added: "Orchard View were very supportive and joined our campaign - we managed to get the visiting times changed from 2 to 4pm and 7 to 8pm to get access from 11.30am to 8pm.

"It is much better that way.

"It is important dementia patients see their families."

Annette, who works in Greenock Health Centre is a Unite representative now hopes to make a difference across the |NHS.

Together with her sisters Joanne Fraser, a nurse practitioner at Forth Valley Hospital and Carol Gair, a nursing lead within the Liver Transplant Theatre, in Freeman Hospital Newcastle-upon-Tyne they want to leave a legacy in memory of their mum, who died on June 18.

They are now supporting the UK wide John's Campaign which calls for families to have easy access to their loved ones when they are no longer able to live in their own home.

She said: "I really hope it becomes fully embedded in NHS and other older people’s services locally. There are already changes happening all over the country."

Annette spoke about the loss of her mum at an event organised by the Labour party to celebrate the 70th birthday of the NHS, where cards were handed over to hospital staff.