Dementia ward recognised for quality of end of life care
A ward that cares for people with dementia has been recognised for the quality of its end of life care.
Tower Ward, based in the Landermere Centre at Clacton and District Hospital, was awarded the Gold Standards Framework (GSF) Quality Hallmark Award after successfully passing a reaccreditation assessment.
GSF is a registered charity and training provider for staff who care for people in the last years of their life.
The Quality Hallmark Award is a nationally recognised accreditation scheme for health and social care providers and demonstrates excellence in care.
Ward manager Annette Knott said: “I am very proud of my team, who have continually worked hard to maintain the accreditation and to achieve reaccreditation.
“We are honoured when families request that their loved one remains on the ward for us to support them through their end of life journey.
“We’ve had some lovely compliments, and one family donated a garden bench to acknowledge the high quality care and support that they and their loved one received.”
The multi-disciplinary team at Tower Ward work closely with St Helena Hospice, Colchester, which has also provided them with bespoke training in end of life care.
They have been continually working to enhance care, including creating a bedroom specifically for patients who are nearing the end of their lives where they can spend quiet time with their loved ones in privacy.
A new carers support group has also been set up, which will provide information about topics such as understanding the types and stages of dementia, the types of health assessments and mental health processes that are carried out, the roles of different teams involved in patient care, and how staff can support patients who are nearing the end of their lives.
It will also give carers the opportunity to discuss their experiences of having a loved one admitted for inpatient care and offer them support and advice on how to best look after themselves as well as their loved one.
September is World Alzheimer’s Month, a campaign organised by Alzheimer’s Disease International to raise awareness of the impact of dementia.
Latest NHS figures show 487,432 people in England in June had been diagnosed with dementia. England has one of the highest dementia diagnosis rates in the world. Early diagnosis can ensure people receive support as quickly as possible.
For more information on symptoms, diagnosis and support, visit the NHS website dementia information page, the Dementia UK website, Alzheimer’s Society website and Alzheimer’s Research UK website.