Publish date: 18 September 2024
A Tameside team focused on improving the care of patients with dementia have scooped a national patient safety award.
The ‘ME in deMEntia’ won the Patient Safety Education and Training category at the HSJ Patient Safety awards, held in Manchester on Monday 16 September.
They overcame stiff competition from eight other nominees to take home the prize.
Led by Lead Admiral Nurse, Kellie Smart, and the Clinical Education team, the training initiative seeks to enable staff, some of whom are also unpaid carers, to have a better understanding of the experience for the person living with dementia.
It replicates a realistic portrayal of exchanges between staff and patients with the intention of inspiring staff to consider their response to, and treatment of, patients with dementia, leading to more person-centred care opportunities within our clinical areas.
The session purposely includes anecdotes taken from clinical practice to enable empathy and realism.
They have seen outstanding outcomes from the delivery of this immersive experience, enabling staff to empathise with people with dementia.
More than 150 staff have had the opportunity to go through the training so far, with more to follow in the coming months.
Kellie Smart, Lead Admiral Nurse at TGICFT, said: “We feel honoured to have won this award, but feel it is a reflection of our commitment to people living with dementia and their families within Tameside and Glossop”
“We are proud to receive such a high profile award and hope we can continue to make a difference for our local communities and beyond.”
