95 per cent of hospitals not training their staff in dementia care

The National Audit on Dementia, commissioned by the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership, examined the care provided by 206 hospitals across England and Wales to 7,900 patients.

The research echoes Alzheimer's Society's Counting the Cost report published last year. The report revealed large variations in the quality of care and found that many people with dementia were going into hospital and coming out worse. This audit found that a third of patients had not received an assessment of their nutritional status. Malnutrition and dehydration can have a serious impact on the symptoms of dementia and people's physical health.

Jeremy Hughes, Chief Executive of Alzheimer's Society, says,

'When a quarter of hospital beds are occupied by people with dementia it is unacceptable that so many hospitals are failing to train their staff. Assessing someone's nutritional status is also vital if we are to stop people getting worse in hospital rather than better. We know hospital staff want to do a good job but without training and support they are being prevented from providing good quality dementia care.'

'The latest King's Fund report says that £300million could be saved by doing better things for people with dementia in hospitals. Hospitals need to commit to reducing the length of stay for people with dementia and reinvest these savings in workforce development and more appropriate care in the community.'

The audit found that 80 per cent of hospitals did not have a system in place to ensure ward staff were aware that a person has dementia. This suggests that many people are still not receiving the person centred care they deserve. People with dementia can become agitated and confused when they are in an unfamiliar environment and it is this behaviour that nurses can find challenging - despite this, only 35 per cent had a strategy in place to address these symptoms.

Jeremy Hughes continues,

'Despite the obvious lack of improvement in some hospitals, we should not ignore the fact that some are making moves to improve dementia care. With the right commitment we can reduce avoidable hospital visits, stop people deteriorating whilst there and allow them to return home rather than moving into care. In just 15 years a million people with be living with dementia. We need all hospitals to act now.'

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Research Reference: 'National Audit of Dementia (Care in General Hospitals):
Preliminary Findings of the Core Audit', The Royal College of Psychiatrists' Centre for Quality Improvement

Interviews with case studies and spokespeople are available on request.

Notes to editors:

• The research is based on the casenotes of 7934 people with dementia discharged from hospital between September 2009 and February 2010 and an organisational checklist of 206 hospitals between March and May 2010
• Please visit alzheimers.org.uk/countingthecost for more information on Alzheimer's Society's campaign to improve hospital care for people with dementia
• One in three people over 65 will die with dementia
• Alzheimer's Society research shows that 750,000 people in the UK have a form of dementia, more than half have Alzheimer's disease. In just 15 years a million people will be living with dementia. This will soar to 1.7 million people by 2051
• Alzheimer's Society champions the rights of people living with dementia and the millions of people who care for them
• Alzheimer's Society works in England, Wales and Northern Ireland
• Alzheimer's Society supports people to live well with dementia today and funds research to find a cure for tomorrow. We rely on voluntary donations to continue our vital work. You can donate now by calling 0845 306 0898 or visiting alzheimers.org.uk
  
• Alzheimer's Society provides a National Dementia Helpline, the number is 0845 300 0336 or visit alzheimers.org.uk