Dementia Care at Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Healthwatch Nottingham and Nottinghamshire worked with Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to understand the experiences of people living with dementia, their carers and hospital staff. The project explored how dementia care could be improved across hospital services and identified examples of good practice alongside areas where further action was needed.
The report found that staff were committed to providing compassionate care and recognised the importance of supporting people with dementia and those close to them. However, it also highlighted opportunities to improve communication, the hospital environment, staff training and consistency of care throughout a patient's stay.
Recommendations
The report recommends that the Trust should:
- Improve communication with patients living with dementia and their families throughout their hospital stay.
- Continue to strengthen dementia awareness and training for all staff.
- Create hospital environments that are more dementia friendly, with clear signage and reduced confusion.
- Involve carers and family members more consistently in care planning and decision making.
- Ensure information is shared effectively between hospital teams and community services to support safe discharge.
- Build on existing good practice by regularly reviewing and improving dementia care.
Key themes:
- Experiences of people living with dementia in hospital
- Support for carers and families
- Dementia-friendly environments
- Staff knowledge, training and confidence
- Communication and person-centred care
- Discharge planning and continuity of care
Downloads
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Dementia Care at Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
