Care Opinion

Lack of time and awareness

Posted By Ohdear

"Lack of time and awareness"

About: Royal Victoria Hospital / Care of the Elderly

(as a relative),

Father has dementia. Needs reminded to eat. Food was left to go cold then assumed it wasn’t wanted. He was left without lunch or dinner. No encouragement or help given. This was reported to me by another patient. 

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Responses

Response from Debbie Rainey, Dementia Service Improvement lead, Medical Specialities, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust 3 months ago
We are preparing to make a change
Debbie Rainey
Dementia Service Improvement lead, Medical Specialities,
Belfast Health and Social Care Trust

To support evidenced based dementia and delirium care for our patients within our acute hospital settings.

Submitted on 04/12/2024 at 10:09
Published on Care Opinion at 10:51

Dear Ohdear,

I am so sorry to hear about you and your dads experience of him not being supported appropriately with his eating and drinking needs. This level of care is not what we strive to provide for our patients with dementia. I would like to apologise for any distress caused.

It would be really helpful if you could contact me to allow me to look into this situation. This will help us to learn from this and to ensure that a similar situation does not occur again.

You can contact me either through Care Opinion or by phoning me on my direct line: 07379071937.

I look forward to hearing from you,

Debbie Rainey

Dementia Service Improvement Lead for Hospitals

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Response from Debbie Rainey, Dementia Service Improvement lead, Medical Specialities, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust 2 months ago
We have made a change
Debbie Rainey
Dementia Service Improvement lead, Medical Specialities,
Belfast Health and Social Care Trust

To support evidenced based dementia and delirium care for our patients within our acute hospital settings.

Submitted on 03/01/2025 at 13:52
Published on Care Opinion at 13:54

Dear Ohdear,

Following up with your previous feedback about the care your dad received on one of the Acute Care of the Older Person wards. We have introduced a new initiative within our acute wards and departments called 'Cognitive Champions'. Each area will have staff identified to help support patients who may have cognitive issues like dementia. The identified staff will have further training provided on how we can help support patients with confusion while they are in hospital. This training will cover dementia and delirium awareness as well as underlying topics such as person centred care which will include eating and drinking needs etc.

We always really value feedback and information from carers and families members on how best we can care for a person with confusion, delirium and dementia. One area that we are looking at is working with family members/carers to help us complete a person centred document called 'All about me' for each person with dementia. This can help us identify important people, places or items that can help us reassure the person while they are in hospital. This can also help us identify likes, dislikes around eating/drinking issues, level of assistance required etc. If this is something that you would like to complete for your family member if they ever need to come into hospital again, please let me know and I can have one sent to you via email or in the post.

Once again I thank you for making contact and leaving your feedback on our service and I hope that the changes we have identified can make a difference for future care.

Kind Regards

Debbie Rainey

Belfast Trust Dementia Service Improvement Lead for Hospitals

Email: debbie.rainey@belfasttrust.hscni.net

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