This document discusses transforming dementia care in hospitals. It outlines the SPACE principles for good dementia care, which focus on skilled staff, partnership with carers, assessment and identification, person-centered care, and dementia-friendly environments. Admiral Nursing provides specialized dementia care and support for family carers. Evaluations show Admiral Nursing improved carer satisfaction and reduced hospital admissions and costs. The document recommends hospitals adopt a leadership approach that owns, supports and spreads good dementia care practices to continue transforming care.

1. Making a difference : Transforming dementia
care in hospital
Rachel Thompson, Professional & Practice Development
Lead for Admiral Nursing, Dementia UK

2. Working in partnership to transform practice
People living with
dementia
Family carers/
friends
Practitioners

3. Commitment to the care of people with
dementia in hospital settings
SPACE – principles to support good dementia care
1. Staff who are skilled and have time to care.
2. Partnership working with carers.
3. Assessment and early identification of dementia.
4. Care which is person centred and individualised.
5. Environments that are dementia-friendly.
See www.rcn.org.uk/dementia

4. The Triangle of Care for dementia
1. Carers and their essential role
are identified
2. Staff are ‘carer aware’ and
trained
3. Information sharing and
confidentiality protocols
4. Defined carer post(s)
5. Introduction & information
about service
6. Range of carer support
services available.

5. Tier 3
Experts/
specialists
Tier 2
Dementia skilled
Tier 1
Dementia Awareness
3 Tiers of education & expertise
General
understanding
Supporting and
delivering person-
centred care
Leadership
Managing complexities

6. Admiral Nursing
 Qualified specialist dementia nurses
 Provide bio-psychosocial support for family carers & people living
with dementia, particularly during complex periods of transition
 Work in partnership with & provide education, leadership,
development and support to other colleagues and service
providers
 Improved support for carers & people with dementia , reduced
admission to hospital, improved well-being and save money!

7. Contribution of Admiral Nursing in
acute care
University Hospital
Southampton-
• Saved £250,000 in 1
year
• Improved carer
satisfaction from 23%
to 57% in 6 months and
• continuing …

8. Evaluation of RCN Development Programme
2013-2014
Association for Dementia Studies, University of Worcester
• 85% of the 211 objectives
identified by Trusts were fully or
partially achieved.
 Patients - improvements in
well-being
 Carers – increased
satisfaction and reduction in
complaints
 Staff - increased confidence
and knowledge
0
5
10
15
20
Jun-13
SPACE Principles score
http://www.worcester.ac.uk/discover/ads-rcn-dementia-development-
programme.html

9. Innovative projects
Dementia
friendly bays
in A&E
Training and
education
programmes
Patient
passports for
personalised
care
Family
carers
feedback
workshops Carers
passport
Facilitated
activity room for
patients with
dementia
Reduction
of ward
moves
Piloting of a pain
assessment tool for
patients with
dementia Bay nursing and
dining for
patients with
dementia

10. Recommendations
• Ownership and support
from the highest level
• Open, inclusive and
valuing style of
leadership
• Spread ‘good practice’-
develop champions
• Link with DAA ‘Right
Care- Dementia Friendly
Hospital’ call to action
• Evaluate, reward
successes and keep
focused!