Croydon Health Services awarded £980,000 as part of dementia pilot scheme

Croydon Health Services NHS Trust has been awarded £980,000, funding as part of a new dementia programme announced by Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt yesterday.

The trust is one of 116 organisations to be named in the Dementia Friendly Environments National Pilot programme, and the funding, which was the full amount of capital bid for, will be used to change existing elderly care wards into dementia-friendly care zones.

Chief executive John Goulston said: "The success of our bid is a fantastic achievement. We are committed to consistency, compassion and good communication in everything we do, so that every patient knows wherever they are treated, they will receive the best possible care.

As a successful national pilot we can make changes across the Trust to create an environment which supports people with dementia and their families and carers."

In May, the hospital opened a dementia-friendly zone in its emergency department that featured distinctive design with contrasting colours to help reduce falls.

There are also large clocks, information boards and dementia friendly signs.

The work was inspired by feedback from the Listening into Action (Lia) programme aimed at improving patient experience by asking staff what could be done to support care.

The hospital has also launched a training programme aimed at building organisational awareness and understanding of dementia, with 60 percent of accident and emergency staff already trained.

There is also a network of dedicated Dementia Link Practitioners and Dementia Champions across wards and community teams, that include nurses, therapists, receptionists and volunteers.

Mr Hunt said: "We can encounter any number of places and spaces in one day and yet for someone with advanced dementia even walking from one room to another can be difficult.

"This pilot scheme will form an important first step towards driving forward better care environments for people with dementia."