Using a practice development project to improve standards of care for people with dementia

A multidisciplinary NHS specialist education and training team was set up to work with staff in the care home sector who are caring for older people with dementia. The team focused on personalised care planning and assessment, interventions to help people with distressing non-cognitive symptoms and end of life care. Generally, the response from staff to the project was positive, however, formal evaluation was difficult because it ran for a fixed term of one year. This limited period did not allow for conclusive data about some possible outcomes to be collected, such as prevention of inappropriate admissions to hospital and reduction in antipsychotic medication use.