Access provided by
London Metropolitan University
In the first article of this series, Jennifer Bray and colleagues present three case studies that show what adjustments trusts are making to improve the hospital experience for patients, relatives and staff
This is the first in a short series that presents case study examples of the positive work achieved by trusts who participated in the Royal College of Nursing’s development programme to improve dementia care in acute hospitals.
When a person with dementia is in hospital, poor understanding of individual needs and preferences can contribute to a lack of person-centred care. Similarly, the needs of family carers can often be overlooked and staff do not always appreciate these needs at such a stressful time. This article illustrates how three NHS trusts have addressed these issues. To help staff get to know patients with dementia, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust has implemented a patient passport. Similarly, The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust has implemented a carer passport that overcomes the restrictions imposed by hospital visiting hours. Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust also focused on carers, holding a workshop to elicit feedback on what was important to them. This was a useful means of engaging with carers and helped staff to realise that even simple changes can have a significant effect.
Nursing Older People. 27, 7, 18-23. doi: 10.7748/nop.27.7.18.e699
Correspondence Peer reviewThis article has been subject to double-blind review and has been checked using antiplagiarism software
Conflict of interestNone declared
Received: 09 March 2015
Accepted: 13 May 2015
Alternatively, you can purchase access to this article for the next seven days. Buy now
Are you a student? Our student subscription has content especially for you.
Find out more