A Senior Healthcare Assistant (HCA) and Dementia Champion within the Royal Preston Hospital Emergency Department developed an adapted patient identification wristband that supported staff to recognise that a patient may have additional needs related to their diagnosis of dementia | NHS England
A discreet adaptation was made to existing wrist bands to notify any member of staff that the patient has dementia and that they needed to utilise their dementia care training when supporting the patient.
This was achieved by cutting a forget-me-not flower symbol into the patient’s wristband between a patient’s information and the barcode ensuring visibility of the symbol. Further work was undertaken with staff across the emergency and other departments within the hospital to notify them of the changes to the wristband and what the innovation was aiming to achieve.
There has been positive feedback from patients’, their families, friends and carers, as well as health professionals and the general public. The impact of the improvements has been well received by patients, their families and carers as well as staff at the hospital. Qualitative feedback, has shown that they feel patients are treated with dignity and respect by the Emergency Department team.
Full story at NHS England
