The Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland has published a report from its first ever themed visits to people with dementia in community hospitals.
The report found that care and treatment provided is generally good, and community hospitals are valued by patients, and by carers. However, it highlights issues with the dementia-friendliness of the environment, care planning, activities provision and staff training.
Kate Fearnley, Executive Director (Engagement and Participation), at the Commission said:
“We were pleased to see that generally, carers and patients were positive about care and treatment; but we are concerned that there is a lack of focus on patients’ needs related to their dementia.”
Key findings include:
– Only a third of wards had carried out a dementia-friendliness audit of the environment.
– Care plans recorded physical health care interventions well, but there was a lack of care planning for care and support focusing on the patient’s dementia.
– When they discussed rights-based issues with staff, often they felt they were not familiar with incapacity and mental health legislation.
– Two fifths of the wards had no-one with training in managing stress and distress. There was a lack of clarity about different levels of knowledge and skills required by staff in relation to Scotland’s Promoting Excellence dementia skills and knowledge framework.
