South West Hospital Standards in Dementia Care
Are the standards relevant locally?
The standards can:
- be included as a commissioning requirement for contracts for general and community hospitals in 2011-2012
- inform the delivery of QIPP plans.
- provide a basis for discussion about CQUIN payments between commissioners and their providers
- inform Trust Quality Accounts.
- be reflected in published Local Action Plans to demonstrate delivery of the National Dementia Strategy.
How do these standards fit with other requirements?
The standards are aligned to:
- Liberating the NHS: Transparency in the outcomes – a framework for the NHS
- Care Quality Commission (CQC) core quality and safety standards with key aspects of good dementia care
- National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) Quality statements
- National Audit of Dementia Care in Hospitals, 2010-2011
- South West Strategic Framework for Improving Health 2008/09 to 20010/11
- South West Strategic Health Authority 2010 Performance Assessment Framework for delivery of the National Dementia Strategy.
How will these standards be achieved?
- the standards will be locally owned and implemented
- each hospital will undertake a self-assessment of current practice against the standards and agree an action plan
- some standards will be of the focus of ward staff; others may require additional input from local stake holders
- greater engagement of patients, family, carers, friends and a range of volunteers is fundamental to success
- the dementia ward champion role is recommended in addition to a clinical champion / hospital Board lead to drive and report on the necessary changes.
How will these standards be assured?
- for each standard listed there are measures or indicators described to inform the monitoring of the implementation of the standard. Audit processes will be integrated within hospital governance arrangements
- the feedback from patients, relatives, carers and volunteers as well as staff delivering care will be vital in ensuring these standards are being delivered
- the dementia ward champion and hospital clinical lead will be well placed to ensure there is a process for measuring the standards
- the local dementia partnership group will need to be assured of the monitoring arrangements and outcomes
- a process of peer review across the South West will be implemented in Autumn 2011/12.
How will these standards be widely known and recognised?
- these standards have been produced in a variety of formats for patients, their family, carer or friends understand them and can hold services to account
- the standards are presented in a format that will assist staff delivering care on wards as well as assisting commissioner / provider discussions
- there will be widespread distribution of information about the standards to cover all interested groups and organisations in the South West
- Clinical leads and ward champions will be asked to use every opportunity to aid the understanding of these standards, and ensure that training and education programmes delivered within hospitals promote delivery
South West Hospital Standards in Dementia Care
What are the next steps in the delivery of these standards?
- 31 January 2011 brief relevant leads and groups
- 31 March 2011 hospital self-assessment completed
- 30 June 2011 improvement plan for 2011/12 completed and submitted to South West Strategic Health Authority
- September-December 2011 peer review
- 31 March 2012 improvement plan completed for 2012/13.