Alzheimer’s Society CEO visits Scarborough Hospital to find out more about Dementia work

York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and the Alzheimer’s Society have been working in partnership to provide in-house dementia support at Scarborough Hospital.

Since December 2014, there has been a dementia support worker based at Scarborough providing invaluable in-house support to patients with dementia, their carers and staff.  

The project has been so successful that Jeremy Hughes, Alzheimer’s Society CEO, visited the Hospital this week to see for himself the excellent partnership work that is taking place.

Jeremy, was shown around the hospital by Emma Day, Assistant Director of Nursing, and Helen Williams Dementia Support Worker.   Emma explained: “Dementia Support is an invaluable service helping people with dementia maintain their independence, improve their sense of well-being and take control of their own lives.  

“It’s great that we have been able to offer dementia patients, their family, carers and our staff members this invaluable support. Helen Williams has been our Dementia Support Worker since the project first started.  Based at the hospital three days a week, she works with our staff to map out the care and support patients may need while they are in hospital and at home.”

Alzheimer’s Society CEO Jeremy Hughes said: “I am delighted to be visiting Scarborough Hospital to see for myself the partnership working that has been operating between Alzheimer’s Society and York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

“The work in Scarborough aims to improve the experience of people living with dementia when they are admitted, during their stay and on discharge – and particularly to reduce the length of time that they spend as an inpatient.

“People with dementia tend to spend longer in hospital than other patients which often has a detrimental impact on their physical health as well as their dementia. By working closely with Scarborough Hospital we are showing how to make a real difference to the lives of people with dementia who need to go into hospital.”

Louise Morgan, Alzheimer’s Society Service Manager for Scarborough, Whitby & Ryedale said: “Our Dementia Support Worker Helen Williams has worked incredibly hard to build excellent relationships with the team at Scarborough Hospital which has led to better support services for people living with dementia both as patients and also when they are discharged.

“This form of partnership working is the way forward. If we are to provide fully integrated person-centred care for people living with dementia in our communities, all sectors involved in their care need to work together to provide a seamless support system – the work at Scarborough Hospital is one step in the right direction towards this approach.”

The Alzheimer’s Society is the leading support and research charity for people with dementia, their families and carers. Dementia affects over 800,000 people in the UK alone and numbers continue to grow.

30 June 2015