Person-centred support plans and staff wellbeing innovations for in-patient dementia care: A service development project

Abstract

Comprehensive person-centred support plans are completed for all people living with dementia admitted to Holbrook ward, a dementia specialist unit in the Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust. However, staff have faced barriers in using these effectively for person-centred care due to the demanding and busy nature of the ward environment. It has also been challenging for new, bank, and agency staff to find time to read about and understand the person living with dementia, leading to escalation in situations which could have been avoided. In collaboration with nursing staff, the psychology team developed support plan flash cards that serve the purpose of being a ‘grab and go’ style resource. These are targeted at individuals with more complex presentations and used during handovers and when staff are on one-to-one observations, providing a useful snippet of information about the person living with dementia. The psychology team also developed a wellbeing support plan for staff, with tips for keeping well and supporting their own mental health and wellbeing.