Hospital dementia care ‘needs radical shake-up’

16 Dec 11
Dementia care in NHS hospitals needs ‘significant improvements’, according to a national study by the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

By Richard Johnstone | 16 December 2011

Dementia care in NHS hospitals needs ‘significant improvements’, according to a national study by the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

Although the majority of wards inspected met basic safety requirements, many failed to take simple measures to lessen the distress caused to dementia patients in hospital environments, the study found.

There were also flaws in staff training, with only a third of more than 2,200 staff surveyed believing their training was sufficient.

The study, which looked at 145 wards in 55 hospitals in England and Wales, found that only 6% of hospitals had care plans in place for people with dementia – although 44% had one in development.

Care was often provided in an impersonal manner, with staff failing to greet or talk to patients and to explain what they were doing or offer patients choices. Sometimes, staff were seen failing to respond to patients’ requests for help.

The report recommended that all hospital staff should be given basic training in dementia awareness, with some ward staff given higher level training.

A senior clinical lead for dementia should be appointed in every hospital, and given designated time in their job role to develop and implement a care pathway. The lead should also identify dementia ‘champions’ in each department in the hospital and at ward level.

Professor Peter Crome, the chair of the college’s National Audit of Dementia Steering Group, said: ‘This report provides further concrete evidence that the care of patients with dementia in hospital is in need of a radical shake-up. We have a provided a number of recommendations that if implemented will enable patients and their families to have confidence in their hospital treatment.

‘It is good to see that several hospitals have responded to the results of the interim findings with programmes of quality improvement. Hopefully, real change will be seen in the results of the next national audit, which is due to be published in June 2013.’

Responding to the report, care services minister Paul Burstow said that the audit had ‘found some excellent practice’, but had also revealed ‘far too many hospitals failing to put in place dementia-friendly care’.

He added: ‘The result of this audit should be a must-read for every medical and nursing director. It is time for the NHS to put in place the training and support that improves the care and treatment of people with dementia and saves money too.

‘Improving dementia care is a priority for this government. That is why we are putting in place a new financial incentive for hospitals that identify patients at risk so they get the specialised care they need.’

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