Gwent Team's Dementia Care Initiatives Up for Prestigious UK Nursing Award

Thursday 27th July 2023

We're delighted that the person-centred care team at Aneurin Bevan University Health Board have been selected from 920 entries as finalists in the Team of the Year category of the RCN Nursing Awards 2023!

The nurses will find out if they have won at a ceremony on Friday 10th November 2023 at Liverpool Cathedral.

With patient feedback having identified problems around loneliness and boredom on hospital wards, staff reported increased agitation and challenging behaviours for people living with dementia. In response, the person-centred care team developed a wide range of meaningful, person-centred and inclusive activities. These drew on digital technology, arts and crafts, items to support hobbies, and activities to promote mobility and dexterity.

The activities both helped staff better address the needs of people with dementia, and reduced distressing behaviours among those in care.

Working with external organisations, volunteer-to-career pathways were created, alongside the establishment of an expert panel with lived-experience of the issues being faced by patients and carers. The pilot for the new approach was so successful that it has been rolled out to all 141 wards across Gwent’s hospital sites.

Tanya Strange, Head of Nursing for Person Centred Care at Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, said:

"The team is proud to be recognised for their continued, passionate, and inspirational work to improve the patient, carers and staff experience of hospital care, which can be a scary, unfamiliar and challenging experience. Being shortlisted is an honour.’"

RCN General Secretary and Chief Executive, Pat Cullen, said:

"Our inspiring finalists demonstrate the very best of nursing and what can be achieved in some of the challenging times for the profession.

"They highlight the wide variety of ways nurses improve the care of people at all stages of life and how they demonstrate their professionalism and clinical excellence every day, and in every setting, throughout the UK."

The RCN Nursing Awards will this year be held alongside the inaugural Nursing Live, a new and dynamic event for everyone who works in nursing.  Hosted over two days (November 10th-11th) at the ACC complex in Liverpool, the event will focus on both the professional and personal development of nurses at every stage of their careers and will be the first event of its kind for the sector.