Trust compliant with treating older people well during their hospital stay

The Trust received an unannounced inspection from the CQC (Care Quality Commission) in March regarding dignity and nutrition and we were very pleased to demonstrate that we are compliant with treating older people well during their hospital stay, in particular treating them with dignity and respect and meeting their nutritional needs.

The inspection looked into how well older people are treated during their hospital stay and is part of a targeted inspection programme in acute NHS hospitals.

Deirdre Thompson, director of nursing, said: “We are very pleased that the inspection found us to be compliant. We take dignity and nutrition very seriously and it is rewarding to know that patients found our care standards to be high and were treated in a way that was dignified and respectful. While the report contains many positives, we are not complacent and know that there is always room for improvement so will be looking to build on its findings”.

The Trust has a number of initiatives in place to ensure that older patients are cared for appropriately, including the recent introduction of slipper socks that can help to prevent slips and falls. The double-sided non-slip slipper socks provide extra safety for patients at a higher risk of falling and are a visual reminder for staff that patients may need assistance, without compromising their dignity. Used in conjunction with an alert system that uses red triangles to highlight patients who are more likely to fall, the introduction of these simple measures as part of the falls prevention programme is an effective way of giving patients the extra care they need.

Privacy curtain signs have also recently been relaunched to alert other patients and staff when cubicles are in use, encouraging curtained areas to be approached as if they are closed doors and for conversations to be conducted quietly.

As part of their mandatory training and in annual updates, all staff are required to undertake privacy and dignity training to ensure they have the skills and knowledge needed to care for patients, some of who may have specific needs. The Trust also plans to hold dementia awareness training in the future for staff to learn about dementia from a patient’s view and how to cope with challenging behaviour.