Tim WallisKathryn Smith

First 12 reports published May 2011 –republished in October.

Inspection into whether elderly people receive essential standards of care in 100 hospitals in England, focusing on:

-treated with dignity and respect-whether nutritional needs being met

17 off 100 hospitals surveyed were not compliant with basic nutritional needs of patients

32 more were recommended to make improvements

Recurring concern: people not being given enough to drink

Chair of CQC to write to every hospital identified

14/11/11

“Scandal of NHS care for elderly”- “the Care Quality Commission found old people

being left unfed, without water”

- 13/10/11

“Too many hospitals in England are falling short in the most basic care they are giving elderly patients”

Included: All elderly patients on Lulworth, Brownsea, Acute Stroke Unit, Rockley and Lilliput. n=88

Excluded: patients NBM

One off spot check of the wards. No prior warning of survey

The Study

We said we we’re doing well, but could do better!

The Recommendations

Presented the findings and recommendations to senior medical and nursing staff

Repositioning table after all patient interactions – education of medical, nursing and cleaning staff

Educating relatives to encourage patients to drink

Visual and memory aids to prompt patients to drink water

The Poster…

The Poster

The Re-audit

Same Cohort of Patients: Posters had been on wards for > 2 months

Included: All elderly patients on Lulworth, Brownsea, Acute Stroke Unit, Rockley and Lilliput. n=83

Excluded: patients NBM

One off spot check of the wards. No prior warning of survey

The Result of Re-audit

An improvement but we can still do better

We unfortunately cannot give ourselves the gold medal yet…

Improved from 1/3 without fluids in easy reach to 1/4 without

Further education/training of hospital staff

? Water monitor NA to check all patients to have water QDS

Are there any times of day where it is better or worse than others? We have done the study at approximately 3pm both times

Further Changes

Red jugs for patients at high risk of dehydration

Poor sight Poor functional capability Dementia Delirium