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

2. NHS SouthWest Dementia Care Standards 2

3. 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 3

4. 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) 4

5. 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 5

6. Survey findings… Written report presented to the Trust that highlighted quotes, suggestions for improvements and recommendations 6

7. Questions and Themes Standard 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 experiences Standard 6 Provision of therapeutic activity ; use of volunteers

8. 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 8

9. 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 9

10. What next ? Regionally and potentially Nationally: Use of methodology in other Trusts Explore and promote wider working opportunities with the ‘Third Sector’ 10

11. 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 11

12. Contact details Heather Eardley South West Regional Manager heather@patients-association.com mobile: 07527362107 12 Frazer Underwood Consultant Nurse for Older People / Associate Director of Nursing 01872 255043 frazer.underwood@rcht.cornwall.nhs.ukrazer.underwood@rcht.cornwall.nhs.uk Teresa Parsons Locality Development Officer Alzheimer’s Society 07540920302 teresa.parsons@alzheimers.org.uk