A new focus on the care of people with dementia in hospitals gives LBS an opportunity to raise concerns that are specific to people affected by Lewy body dementias. We’d love to hear from you if you have experiences you would like to share about acute hospital care.

We took part in a meeting on October 15 2012 to review the impact of the National Dementia CQUIN, a payment given to hospitals who achieve high performance standards in identifying people who are admitted to hospital with dementia or possible dementia. The CQUIN has three main aims:

1. Identifying people with dementia – members of staff will ask members of the family or friends of a person admitted to hospital if the patient has suffered any problems with their memory in the last 12 months;
2. Assess people with dementia – if there is evidence to suggest a problem with their memory, that person will be given a dementia risk assessment;
3. Refer on for advice – a referral would be made for further support either to a liaison team, a memory clinic or a GP.

At the same meeting, the Dementia Action Alliance, working in partnership with the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement, launched The Right Care: creating dementia friendly hospitals. The Right Care is a call to action to transform the acute hospital experience for people with dementia and their carers. Hospitals across England are being asked to commit to becoming dementia friendly and undertake a series of actions from improving the design of wards to establishing dementia champions.

The Royal College of Nursing also showcased their new resource, Dignity in dementia: improving care in general hospital settings which includes a film and a practical guide.

If you would be interested in getting involved with the Call to Action to transform the hospital experience for people with Lewy body dementias, please contact our Campaigns Team.