Improving Dementia Care in an Acute Hospital: Partnership Working in Action Heather Eardley Teresa Parsons Frazer Underwood 1.

Improving Dementia Care in an Acute Hospital: Partnership Working in Action

Heather EardleyTeresa Parsons

Frazer Underwood

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NHS SouthWest Dementia Care Standards

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The challenge for RCHT Needed:• To gain patient/carer views to measure compliance

against the new SouthWest Dementia Care Standards

• To explore the qualitative aspect of service improvement from a practical and practice-based perspective

Wanted:• To strength partnership working opportunities with

The Patients Association and Alzheimer's Society• To have an independent report

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How we started…

• The three organisations came together to design a potential interview proforma around the specific standards we wanted to explore

Methodology:• Recruit and train 4 interviewers (2 volunteers) • Survey: 18 patients and 11 carers on 8 wards • Interviews over 4 weeks (July / August 2011)

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Reflection on starting off… + Volunteers involved in whole process + Recruitment of volunteers: Need for Trust checks

and induction and for specialist dementia awareness knowledge and training -skilled in communication

+ Richness in qualitative feedback + Useful to have carers present with patient surving

(11/18)

- Case finding/identifying patients with a diagnosis of dementia was an issue

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Survey findings…• Written report presented to the Trust that highlighted quotes,

suggestions for improvements and recommendations

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Questions and ThemesStandard 1:• Respect, dignity and appropriate care; individual assessment of needs; Standard 2:• information provision and sharing – use of ‘This is me’; carers/relative

involvement; Standard 4:• Provision of a ‘dementia friendly environment’; experience of moving

wards Standard 5:• Nutrition and meal- time experiencesStandard 6• Provision of therapeutic activity ; use of volunteers

Recommendations to the Trust…• Provide - better access to information: preadmission

/discharge/what’s happening next• Rollout - ‘This is ME’ • Involve – Carers more• Provide - Carers awareness training• Improve - Communications, handovers and between staff

and carers• Provide – Better access to activities and volunteers • Promote - Protected mealtimes• Improve – The environment• Repeat – The survey

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What next ?

Locally:• RCHT Dementia Care Action Group supported

recommendations• Action plan developed which will feed into the

Trust's 2012/13 Dementia Care Improvement Plan – Carers awareness training planned for April– Mealtime volunteer recruitment underway

• Repeat of survey over the Summer

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What next ?

Regionally and potentially Nationally:• Use of methodology in other Trusts• Explore and promote wider working

opportunities with the ‘Third Sector’

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Reflections on the benefits of this approach…

• Partnership working• Respected independent opinion • Project based - time limited /outcome focused • Good use of volunteers • Immediacy – from set up to completion• Cost effective• Practical and simple methodology• Gives staff more confidence, direct feedback

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Contact details Heather Eardley

South West Regional Manager [email protected]

mobile: 07527362107

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Frazer UnderwoodConsultant Nurse for Older People /

Associate Director of Nursing01872 255043

[email protected]

Teresa ParsonsLocality Development Officer

Alzheimer’s Society07540920302

[email protected]