This improvement initiative focuses on five priority areas identified through a co-design process. These areas are:

1. strategies to prevent and effectively manage stress and distress
2. compliance with the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) legislation
3. creating hospital environments that minimise the level of stress for people with dementia
4. improving pathways of care including managing transitions, and
5. improving person-centred care planning.

We are working with Alzheimer Scotland nurse consultants and 24 teams across 10 NHS boards to improve quality of care for people with dementia in hospitals. The teams come from the following areas:

• Ayrshire & Arran (3 teams)
• Borders (3 teams)
• Fife (3 teams)
• Forth Valley (3 teams)
• Golden Jubilee (1 team)
• Grampian (2 teams)
• Greater Glasgow & Clyde (3 teams)
• Lanarkshire (3 teams)
• Lothian (2 teams)
• Orkney (1 team)

The teams participating in the collaborative are based in three different settings: acute hospitals, community hospitals and specialist dementia units.

The ihub's Focus on Dementia Portfolio Lead, Michelle Miller, said:

"This work has huge potential to improve the experience and outcomes people with dementia have within a hospital setting. We are delighted to be working together with Alzheimer Scotland Dementia Nurse Consultants and teams across Scotland together with people with dementia and carers to take this work forward."

The first learning session when these teams will meet is on 28 January 2020.

This work is funded by the Scottish Government. More information about our work is on our Dementia Care in Hospitals web page.