Keech Hospice Care
Keech Hospice Care was established in 1991 and provides specialist palliative care to Adults and Children. Our purpose is to care for our patients and to support their families and friends. We aim to give the most appropriate and efficient treatment and care to our patients; to assist in the relief of their physical and emotional suffering and to help them lead an acceptable, purposeful and fulfilling life in their home or in the hospice. Keech Hospice Care is a partner organisation in the Luton Dementia Co-production Project, funding by NHS England and recognises, within our organisational strategy, the importance that everyone needs to play in supporting people living with dementia and their families, and are keen to play our part by becoming a dementia friendly organisation.
- Updated:
- 13 December 2018
- Location:
- East of England
- Sectors:
- Other
- Local Alliances:
- Luton Dementia Action Alliance
1. Action Plan
1. The National Dementia Declaration lists seven outcomes that the DAA are seeking to achieve for people with dementia and their carers. How would you describe your organisation’s role in delivering better outcomes for people with dementia and their carers?
Keech Hospice Care works with patients and their carers/ families, some of which will have dementia co-occurring with a primary disease or disorder. As an organisation we therefore aim to provide our services with the ability to achieve the seven outcomes identified for people living with dementia and their carers.
Keech Hospice Care have already demonstrated our commitment to this agenda as we are a partner organisation on the Luton Dementia Co-production Project , with key representation on the Project Board as well as being working collaboratively with partners as part of the Dementia Strategy Development Group for Luton. In additon Keech have been completing PLACE (Patient-led assessments of the care environment) surveys annually since 2015. This includes a dementia environment checklist.
We work clinically with dementia specialist nurses to support end of life care, and provice access through the palliative care advice line for all patients requiring palliative care advice and support, as well as their health care professionals.
2. What are the challenges to delivering these outcomes from the perspective of your organisation?
As a Hospice, traditionally (some years ago now) the primary diagnosis for adult patients admitted to Keech would have been cancer. However, more recently we have been working with patients who have long-term conditions. Patients with dementia, either as a diagnosis, or as a comorbidity within this setting can create some complex challenges, including; organisational culture change, training and education needs, adjustment to facilities to become a dementia friendly organisation, and equipment requirements.
As a charity the additional costs to overcome these will put additional pressure on what is already financially challenging times.
Member website
www.keech.org.uk2. Actions
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Patient Led Assessment of the Care Environment (PLACE) Survey
Each year Keech Hospice Care takes part in the PLACE Survey. This includes as section on how dementia friendly the hospice environment is.
This survey is completed by external people involved in dementia and in the past has other external dementia professionals have completed this survey with a member of Hospice staff.
As this is on-going it will remain open as part of the action plan
- Status:
- Delivery
2018 - Second Quarter Update
Each year Keech Hospice Care takes place in the 'Patient Led Assessment of the Care Environment' (PLACE) Survey. Within this is included a dementia section, for which the Hospice invites professionals and colleagues from other organisations to complete this with us. However, in 2018 the Hospice had the privillage of being able to invite a Person Living with Dementia and his Carers to complete the review with us.
This was the first time we were able to walk around the building, in the shoes of someone living with dementia and their carers. Being able to experience their challenges was invaluable.
Having made minor improvements over the past few years, around signage, clocks, doormats etc. some of the examples of areas highlighted on this visit included:
the need for chairs with arms, in the cafeteria areasteps not marked/painted, not being visibleoutside benches not easily visible (could be painted in contrasting colour)speed of the automatic doors needed more time to allow PLWD to get through the doors, without them closing.
Actions have been included with all of the PLACE recommendations and where possible improvements will be made before the next assessment in 2019.
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Keech Hospice will continue to ensure all staff and volunteers are offered the training and opportunity to become dementia friends
All employed staff and volunteers will be offered the opportunity to attend a dementia awareness session and become a Dementia Friend. This will include; retail staff working in the Keech Hospice Charity Shops, as staff within these workplaces may also come into contact with people living with dementia and their carers / families. This will be offered through department training sessions / meetings; on-line sessions and bi-annual staff forums.
This will include all of the Senior Leadership Team and Trustees to enable the cultural change in thinking across the organisation.
- Status:
- Delivery
2018 - Second Quarter Update
Three members of staff have been trained as Dementia Friends Champions, who have delivered training to: all Keech retail managers and assistant managers; Trustees; Senior Leadership Team (SLT); and reception staff. In 2016/17 Keech Hospice was the charity partner for London Luton Airport (LLA), our champions delivered sessions to all of the fire service personell at LLA. From 2017 Keech Hospice have been delivering 2 session per year open to all staff and volunteers. As at May 2018, around 150 staff and volunteers have become dementia frie nds and we pleased to confirm this includes all members of our Senior Leadership Team.
Discussions continue to take place with the Training Department to include Dementia Friends within Induction Training for all staff and volunteers.
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Dementia Awareness Education
In addition to the (Dementia Friends) Awareness session available to all staff and volunteers at Keech Hospice Care, in 2018/19 we will be providing additional Dementia Education targeted more towards the clinical staff, as follows: - BCCG Dementia Training Event (Nov 18) - Clinical Director to attend and feedback - Dementia Awareness (Feb 19) - Mainly for clinical staff and those with professional interest in the subject. This session will explore the following: • Dementia Awareness; symptoms, diagnosis, etc. • The 3 D's- Dementia, Depression and Delirium • Recognising behaviour changes in dementia • Understanding why behaviour can be challenging • What our role is when addressing behaviours that are challenging • How to develop a way of making sense of behaviours, in order to develop useful ways to respond. It is hoped, if the latter session is evaluated well that these sessions will be provided on-going as part of our regular education offer.
- Status:
- Being implemented
2018 - Third Quarter Update
Clinical Director has attended the BCCG Dementia Training Event.
Dementia Awareness session is now scheduled for 01/02/2019, with 20 places available.
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Hospice Admiral Nurse
Keech Hospice Care will explore the potential of the Hospice Admiral Nurse and consider through a cost/benefit analysis, whether this role is appropriate for Keech Hospice Care. In other hospices, the role includes: •Specialist assessment of palliative and end of life needs (physical, psychological, spiritual and social) •Facilitating relationship and family centred care (including advice and emotional support) •Identifying last year of life and support care planning accordingly (including conversations around what to expect when someone is dying) •Supporting patients and families with advanced care planning and best interests decisions (including determining appropriateness of clinical interventions and symptom interventions).- Status:
- Investigating