Hospitals need to 'rethink' how they provide dementia care

The report, Acute awareness: Improving hospital care for people with dementia, highlights the changes that can be made to improve the quality of care patients receive in acute hospitals without large additional costs.

Alzheimer's Society comment,

'It's encouraging that the NHS Confederation recognises the need to improve dementia care in hospitals. People with dementia occupy up to a quarter of hospital beds, at huge financial cost to the NHS. Alzheimer's Society research found that many people with dementia are receiving poor quality care and staying far longer in hospital than those without the condition. This report supports our calls for a dementia lead in each hospital and for hospitals to improve dementia training for their staff.

'Alzheimer's Society's Counting the Cost report found that at least £80 million a year could be saved if people with dementia are enabled to leave hospital one week earlier. These cost savings should be reinvested in workforce development and more appropriate care in the community. A million more people will develop dementia in the next ten years. We need the NHS to act on this advice to deliver better care at a more manageable cost.'

Andrew Chidgey
Head of Policy and Public Affairs
Alzheimer's Society

Further Information

• Alzheimer's Society Counting the Cost report 
• Top tips for nurses