Evaluating dementia training for healthcare staff

Date27 June 2019
Published date27 June 2019
Pages277-288
DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1108/JMHTEP-10-2018-0062
AuthorLucy Garrod,Jane Fossey,Catherine Henshall,Sandra Williamson,Alice Coates,Helen Green
Subject MatterHealth & social care,Mental health,Mental health education
Evaluating dementia training
for healthcare staff
Lucy Garrod, Jane Fossey, Catherine Henshall, Sandra Williamson,
Alice Coates and Helen Green
Abstract
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to report on a service evaluation of a competency-based dementia
training programme for clinicians to establish its value in improving their knowledge and confidence of
dementia care and to explore any resulting changes to practice.
Design/methodology/approach Mixed method quantitative and qualitative data, using rating scales and
focus group discussions (FGDs), were collected. Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to analyse changes in
the responses to the rating scales of knowledge and confidence and thematic analysis of FGDs was
undertaken to identify staff perceptions of the impact of training on their practice.
Findings In total, 162 qualified and clinical support staff undertook the training. A significant change in
knowledge and confidence scores was found on all three scales. In general, feedback on the course was positive.
Seven themes, demonstrating the relevance of the training to practice, emerged from the FGDs experiential
training awareness of diagnosis, approach, understanding, communication, risk, changed practice and
going forward.
Practical implications Providing competency-based dementia training for large numbers of staff can
have a positive effect on the care delivered to patients with dementia.
Originality/value Healthcare organisations have a responsibility to ensure their staff have the training to
provide quality care for patients living with dementia. This paper suggests this can be achieved through a
collaborative, multi-disciplinary approach involving co-production and best practice guidance.
Keywords Training, Service evaluation, Co-production
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Dementia is an umbrella term for a group of related symptoms associated with a progressive
decline in cognitivefunctioning. Of the many differenttypes of dementia, AlzheimersDisease is the
most common (Department of Health, 2013a, b). Research conducted for the AlzheimersSociety
showed that there are nearly 36m people living with dementia worldwide, and that in 2013 there
were 815,827 people living with a dementia in the UK 773,502 being aged 65 years or over
(Prince et al., 2014). Symptoms vary depending on the type of dementia, but often include
problems with memory loss, particularly short-term memory, confusion and difficulties with
communication, making judgements and carrying out activities of daily living. These symptoms,
which can have a significant impact on a persons life, need to be understood and responded to
appropriatelyby healthcare workers, both in dementia-specialist settingsand across other clinical
areas where older people with dementia may need care for other health conditions.
However, the quality and provision of dementia care provided by healthcare workers is variable
(Department of Health, 2013a, b). The Alzheimers Society report, Counting the Cost
(Lakey, 2009), found that families of people with dementia were frequently dissatisfied with the
overall quality of dementia care in hospital settings, particularly the lack of understanding about
dementia from staff and a short falling in the practice of person-centred care. The report also
found that 89 per cent of nursing staff described providing care to people with dementia
Received 24 October 2018
Revised 27 February 2019
Accepted 3 April 2019
The project was funded by Health
Education England. The funders
collected data on the number of
staff who completed the training,
but had no role in study design,
data collection and analysis,
decision to publish, or preparation
of the manuscript. The authors
would like to thank colleagues who
contributed to the design and
delivery of the training programme
and to all staff who undertook the
training and participated in the
evaluation. Catherine Henshall
acknowledges the support of the
NIHR Oxford Cognitive Health
Clinical Research Facility. Jane
Fossey also receives support from
the NIHR Oxford Health
Biomedical Research Centre;
a partnership between Oxford
Health NHS Foundation Trust and
the University of Oxford.
Lucy Garrod and Jane Fossey
are both based at
Psychological Services
(Oxfordshire), Oxford Health
NHS Foundation Trust,
Oxford, UK.
Catherine Henshall is based at
the Oxford Brookes University,
Oxford, UK.
Sandra Williamson is based at
Learning and Development
Department, Oxford Health
NHS Foundation Trust,
Oxford, UK.
Alice Coates is based at Oxford
Health NHS Foundation Trust,
Oxford, UK.
Helen Green is based at
Learning and Development
Department, Oxford Health
NHS Foundation Trust,
Oxford, UK.
DOI 10.1108/JMHTEP-10-2018-0062 VOL. 14 NO. 4 2019, pp. 277-288, © Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 1755-6228
j
THE JOURNAL OF MENTALHEALTH TRAINING, EDUCATION AND PRACTICE
j
PAGE277

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