AN ELECTRONIC training program is assisting Tweed health professionals to better care for rising levels of dementia patients.

The Northern NSW Local Health District has launched the Dementia eLearning Program in response to projections of increased incidences of dementia in the area.

Tweed Hospital clinical project officer and facilitator Cathy Desouza said one of the program's many benefits was its ease of access for regional and rural health professionals.

"Other benefits come from clinical staff undertaking the course then looking at the patient as a person, not just at the illness," Ms Desouza said.

"There are impacts on patients when they come into acute care because they're away from their surroundings.

"With dementia, we need more than anything to understand each patient has a past life, a present life and is unique."

She said the advantage of a four-week community course, as an option to a 12-week clinical course, was that aged care staff could assist in preventing the need for hospital care.

"We have facilitators running each course who are dementia experts in their field.

"It gives nursing staff a better understanding of all aspects of dementia and how to care for their patients.

"And if nursing home staff do the course it often means patients can avoid needing acute care, which is obviously better because it allows them to stay at their homes."

The training can be conducted anywhere and at any time, Ms Desouza said.

"On the North Coast dementia is certainly on the increase and this program is improving clinical knowledge and patient outcomes."

Health District chief executive Chris Crawford said the program had now "been extended state-wide to provide sustainable dementia education that can bring about cultural change in the workplace".

"The program is a demonstration of excellence in the application of information systems for clinical workforce development, with improved clinician knowledge, management of dementia and patient outcomes, as well as innovation in education delivery for rural and remote NSW Health staff," Mr Crawford said

Anne Moehead was the first Nurse Practitioner for Psychogeriatrics and Dementia appointed in NSW and led the program since its 2007 beginning.

She said it was a fine example of research and learning translating to positive bedside outcomes.

"The content of the Dementia eLearning Program was initially written by the Centre for Research and Education in Ageing at the University of Newcastle.

"We redeveloped the paper-based education package into a more accessible and engaging web-based program facilitated by local dementia experts.

"The program is facilitated through a supportive web-based learning environment that hosts discussion forums, online chats, quizzes, lesson references and resources.

"As such, it is very accessible to rural and remote Clinicians," Ms Moehead said.