Dementia care

We recognise that a significant number of patients have dementia and that a stay in hospital can be a particularly stressful time for them and an especially worrying time for their families and carers.

We have introduced many initiatives as part of our work to make our staff more aware of the needs of patients who experience dementia, and of their families and carers. Our staff have been trained to involve carers as much as they can because they are a vital source of information and help in getting to know and understand the patient and can help with communication. Carers are encouraged to visit at any time to work with staff to ensure person-centred care.

The dementia care team provides clinical leadership, advice, support, and information on all aspects of dementia care to hospital staff. This includes making sure that learning is facilitated and implemented through training programmes and ensuring guidelines, standards, protocols, and policies are kept up to date.

The team carries out the daily dementia quality rounds to identify patients with dementia and other causes of cognitive impairment alongside their other medical conditions and to prompt appropriate referral and follow up after they leave the hospital.

A local dementia care pathway is in place to support excellent care during the patient hospital journey.

The pathway consists of phases from initial assessment to discharge planning. Implementation of the pathway requires translation of each section into a workable service or combination of services.

The dementia care team also signposts patients and carers to resources available in their local community. They hand out a dementia care pack which contains information on the support and resources available.

The dementia care pack also includes a carer’s survey to understand and improve the dementia service.