The Dementia Strategy and Implementation Group includes a carer representative, representatives from the Alzheimer’s Society and other patient groups, Trust staff and staff from local NHS organisations and local authorities.

Over the next few weeks, it is tasked with developing a new dementia strategy setting out improvements that will be made across the Trust.

The group will look at how the Trust, which runs the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and the Princess Royal Hospital, can improve the support provided to patients and their families and, in particular, how to involve them in decisions about their care. Other priorities will include providing better written information for families and carers, and improving continuity of care for example by keeping to a minimum the occasions when patients need to be moved between different parts of the hospital.

Chief Nurse and Director of Quality and Safety Vicky Morris said:

“Being in hospital can be very confusing for people with dementia or with extra support needs. It can also be an anxious time for their families and carers.

“There are a growing number of people with dementia who have extra care needs and we need to make sure that we are advocating for these vulnerable patients.”

“Improving the care we provide to people with dementia and their families is one of our top priorities. Setting up this group is an important part of our plans for achieving this. It will provide a forum for patient and carer representatives to help us agree the improvements we need to make, and hold us to account to make progress.

The Trust is also setting up training workshops for staff to increase specialist skills and knowledge and provide an enhanced level of support for patients with extra support needs.