Health professionals devise innovative training programme to improve care of people with dementia in hospitals

Health professionals in Greater Manchester have designed an innovative training programme to improve the care of people with dementia when they are admitted to hospital.

‘Getting to Know Me’, the brainchild of a partnership between the University of Manchester, Greater Manchester West Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, Bolton NHS Foundation Trust and Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, increases staff knowledge of the condition, while helping them develop the skills and confidence to care for patients with dementia during their hospital stay.

The free online resource includes PowerPoint presentations and PDF copies of training materials that are designed to help staff have a better understanding of the condition and people-centred practice.

Speaking about the aim of the initiative, Professor John Keady, from the University of Manchester’s Dementia, Ageing and Research Team, said: “We genuinely hope that the ‘Getting to Know Me’ training programme reaches as many staff as possible working in the NHS. BY working and learning together, we can improve care for people with dementia and their families in the general hospital.”

Pat Graham, senior nurse for older people at Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, added: “It’s so important for the care of people with dementia that all staff understand them and how best to meet their needs. The programme can be delivered in a very flexible way which means it can be accessed easily. Our staff have benefited greatly from the training and therefore so have our patients.”

More than 450 staff have already completed the ‘Getting to Know Me’ training programme, with positive results already coming through.

Around 800,000 people in the UK are living with dementia, and at any one they occupy approximately 25 per cent of general hospital beds.

To download the free ‘Getting to Know Me’ training materials, visit www.gmhiec.org.uk.