DementiaRoadmap Wales

Promoting living well with dementia across Wales

Hospital

Someone with dementia may be admitted to a general or specialist hospital ward either as part of a planned procedure, such as a cataract operation, or following an accident, such as a fall. Hospital environments can be disorientating and frightening for a person with dementia and may make them more confused than usual. The person might find the ward loud and unfamiliar, and may not understand why they are there.

However, there is much that can be done to help them adapt to the new environment. Increasingly, where there are wards specifically equipped and staffed to meet and treat the needs of older people, there will be attention to the ward design, equipment, processes and routines which acknowledge the needs of people with cognitive impairment and dementia.

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  • Dementia core skills education and training frameworkOctober 29 2015This framework published by Skills for Health, Health Education England and Skills for Care sets out the essential skills and knowledge necessary for all staff involved in dementia care.
  • Duty of Candour: Information for all providersMarch 15 2015This document published by the Care Quality Commission sets out how meeting the Duty of Candour regulation will be central to both registration and inspection for NHS bodies and all other care providers regulated by the CQC.
  • John’s CampaignJanuary 15 2018John’s Campaign is about making carers of people with dementia welcome on hospital wards and reflects a positive attitude towards the importance of carers and sensitivity to their needs.
  • Cracks in the pathwayOctober 30 2014This report presents the findings of a Care Quality Commission review of the care people living with dementia receive as they moved between care homes and acute hospitals.
  • Pain in People with Dementia: A Silent TragedyJanuary 7 2015This report, published by Napp Pharmaceuticals, draws on a survey of interviews with experts, major providers of care, and on desk research. It quantifies the problem and sets out the issues in recognising, assessing and managing pain in people with dementia.
  • The £20 Billion Question – An inquiry into improving lives through cost-effective dementia servicesJuly 4 2011This report published by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Dementia (APPG) explores the the evidence for cost effective models of dementia care. It makes recommendations to focus on early intervention and prevention to reduce early entry to residential care and reduce unnecessary hospital admissions.
  • Prime Minister’s challenge on dementia 2020February 21 2015The Prime Minister recently launched the government’s five year vision for the future of dementia care, support and research, which follows on from the existing Prime Minister’s Challenge on Dementia, launched in March 2012.
  • Prepared to care – Challenging the dementia skills gapJune 4 2009This report published by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Dementia (APPG) explores the scale of the challenge in training the caring professions in dementia, and how it may be met.
  • Dementia DiariesJune 4 2015Dementia Diaries is a national project that brings together people’s diverse experiences of living with dementia as a series of audio diaries.
  • New models of care for dementiaApril 9 2012This report proposes a new understanding of the dementia journey and a revised model of care for dementia, aimed at improving experiences and outcomes, and informing service redesign and commissioning.
  • Improving the care of people with dementia in general hospitalsSeptember 21 2011Dignity in dementia; improving care in general hospital settings, a Royal College of Nursing led project, has launched tools to improve the care of people with dementia in general hospitals.
  • Choosing your hospitalMarch 12 2014Most patients can choose which hospital they are seen in according to what matters most to them, whether it's location, waiting times, reputation, clinical performance, visiting policies, parking facilities or other patients' comments.
  • Making a Difference in Dementia: Nursing StrategyMarch 15 2013This nursing vision and strategy for dementia care, published by the Department of Health, makes clear that every nurse can make a difference to the care of people with dementia.
  • Find me good careOctober 23 2012This website developed by the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) is designed to help people find the right care and support to suit their needs and lifestyle, whether at a time of crisis or as they plan for the future.
  • Hospital 2 Home resource packOctober 26 2012This resource is designed to make it easier for health and social care professionals involved in hospital discharge to support older patients in returning home safely after a hospital stay and reduce the risk of readmission to hospital.
  • Putting dementia on the mapNovember 29 2013Putting dementia on the map published by the Department of Health draws on data and information about dementia health and care, dementia friendly communities and research.
  • No Secrets: guidance on protecting vulnerable adults in careJanuary 22 2015This guidance document published by the Department of Health sets out a code of practice for the protection of vulnerable adults in care.
  • CMG48: Support for commissioning of dementia careApril 3 2013This guidance produced by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) summarises the key commissioning issues and the resource impact that will arise from implementing improvements in the quality of care for people with dementia, in line with the statements and measures that comprise the NICE quality standards for dementia.
  • Dementia commissioning for quality and innovationMarch 10 2012Dementia commissioning for quality and innovation (CQUIN) aims to help 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 hospital.
  • Dementia awareness resource packApril 10 2011This pack contains a selection of quality assured awareness raising resources designed to promote living well with dementia. The resources include leaflets, factsheets, contact lists and a DVD.
  • This is meFebruary 23 2010'This is me' is a leaflet produced by the Alzheimer's Society to help hospital staff better understand the needs of people with dementia.
  • Five Year Forward ViewOctober 23 2014The Five Year Forward View published by NHS England sets out why the NHS needs to change and various models of care which could be provided in the future to deliver transformed care for patients.
  • Service specification for dementia: mental health liaison service for general and community hospitalsJuly 28 2011This specification has been designed to assist commissioners in the delivery of a service to support general and community hospitals to deliver better care to people with dementia.
  • Optimising treatment and care for behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementiaThis best practice guide has been developed in consultation with an advisory group of leading clinicians specialising in dementia.
  • Dewis CymruApril 27 2018Dewis Cymru is a website that provides information and advice about well-being. In addition to health information, Dewis Cymru provides information about people and services in your area that can help you with the things that matter to you.
  • Case for change – mental health liaison service for dementia care in hospitalsJuly 28 2011This document explains the evidence that has been used to identify eligible patients and for the design of mental health liaison services in general and community hospitals and its core components.
  • Counting the cost: caring for people with dementia on hospital wardsNovember 28 2009This report published by the Alzheimer's Society reveals unacceptable variations in the quality of care for people with dementia in hospital and puts forward recommendations to improve dementia care, shorten the length of stay and reduce costs.
  • Virtual Hospital modelling toolNovember 5 2013The Virtual Hospital modelling tool, developed by the Dementia Services Development Centre, aims to show good design can help to make an acute hospital setting dementia-friendly.
  • Dementia assessment and referral 2014-15October 28 2014This data collection reports on the number and proportion of patients aged 75 and over admitted as an emergency for more than 72 hours who have been identified as potentially having dementia, who are appropriately assessed and, where appropriate, referred on to specialist services in England.
  • The Right Care: creating dementia friendly hospitalsOctober 15 2012The Right Care is a call to action to transform the acute hospital experience for people with dementia and their carers.
  • Request for proposal: action plan to improve care for people with dementia in hospitalJuly 28 2011This is a request for a proposal to improve care for people with dementia in hospital.
  • The Triangle of Care – carers included: A guide to best practice for dementia careSeptember 4 2013The Triangle of Care is a model for dementia care that supports a partnership approach between the person with dementia, the staff member and carer. It is designed to ensure that carers are appropriately included and involved in the care of people with dementia, particularly in hospital settings.
  • National Audit of Dementia in General HospitalsJuly 12 2013The second report of the National Audit of Dementia in General Hospitals identifies continuing problems in the quality of care received by people with dementia in hospitals in England and Wales.
  • Independent Living Equipment in GwentNovember 1 2019Cefndy-Medequip work with local authorities and the NHS to provide the community equipment service in Gwent. They specialise in aids and equipment for the home, mobility, bathrooms, bedrooms, kitchen and dining, living room and outdoors. Their catalogue has a section called "Dementia Friendly Collection".
  • National Audit of Dementia – third reportJuly 13 2017The National Audit of Dementia (NAD) (care in general hospitals) measures the performance of general hospitals against criteria relating to care delivery which are known to impact upon people with dementia while in hospital. The third audit collected data between April and November 2016.
  • Social Services Support for DementiaMarch 28 2019Even if you feel you don't need support now, it's a good idea to know what's available and plan ahead. The adult social services department of your local council can help with your personal care and day-to-day activities. The first step is to arrange a needs assessment.
  • NHS Continuing Healthcare and NHS-funded Nursing CareNHS Continuing Healthcare  If you have complex health and care needs, the NHS may cover the cost of all your care at home or in a care home, including the services you receive from the local council. This is called continuing healthcare and is funded ...
  • Preparing for a Social Services Care Needs AssessmentTips for people with Dementia on preparing for a social services care needs assessment can be found on the Alzheimers UK website, link below.  http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/get-support/legal-financial/dementia-care-needs-assessment  
  • The Herbert Protocol for Missing People with DementiaJanuary 22 2020The Herbert Protocol asks carers, family members and friends of people with Dementia, to complete a form, recording all vital details about their loved one. This information can then be shared quickly with the relevant agencies should their loved one be reported missing.
  • Dementia Action Plan for Wales 2018 – 2022November 20 2019The Welsh government have adopted the Dementia Action Plan for Wales 2018 - 2022, with Vaughan Gething, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services, stating that,  "Our vision is for Wales to be a dementia friendly nation that recognises the rights of people with dementia to feel valued and to live as independently as possible in their communities."
  • Caring for someone with dementiaCaring for someone with dementia is a comprehensive booklet published by Age UK, whose network includes Age Cymru in Wales.
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