Wards at Royal Preston Hospital are amongst 12 that have received recognition for the support that staff give to older people.
The Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust was awarded the Elder Friendly Quality Mark, run by the Royal College of Psychiatrists.
The Quality Mark was developed with organizations including the British Geriatrics Society, the Royal College Physicians and the Royal College of Nursing. It was designed to encourage wards to improve the quality of essential care of older people and to recognize good care provision.
The wards to receive the mark are Ward 21, Barton Ward, and Bleasdale Ward at Royal Preston Hospital.
Staff were assessed on quality of care and how they demonstrated continued focus on improving care for older people. Patients over the age of 65 were asked for their feedback about care, including their experiences of comfort, food and drink, support from staff, getting help when needed, and privacy and dignity.
Chief Executive at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Karen Partington said: “I am delighted that the hard work and dedication of our ward staff has been acknowledged with this mark. Our aim is to provide excellent care with compassion to all our patients, and this shows how we are succeeding in achieving this.”
Professor Mike Crawford, Director of the Royal College of Psychiatrists’ Centre for Quality Improvement, the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said: “It’s great to see another twelve wards achieving the Quality Mark by improving the care they provide based on feedback from older patients. Wards participating in the programme send an important message about the way they regard patient experience.”
Dr Anita Donley, Clinical Vice President of the Royal College of Physicians, said: “For 12 more hospital wards to have achieved the Elder Friend Quality Mark, just three months after the first wave of wards, is a fantastic achievement. It is a huge achievement for the teams on the wards very much demonstrating their commitment and drive to improve the quality of essential care for older people; it is also a success for the programme itself showing how hospital teams are engaging with the principles of the programme.”
Have a look at the award winning wards here: