May 23, 2022 11.13 am This story is over 22 months old

Zoe Chapman: Working with carers to improve dementia care in our hospitals

Aiming to develop dementia services in Lincolnshire
Zoe Chapman is the safeguarding specialist for dementia at United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust. | Photo: ULHT

As a Trust we want to work with carers of those with dementia to give them a voice to help us shape and improve our services.

Nationally one in four acute hospital beds is occupied with someone who has dementia. My role at the Trust is all about making sure that we are providing the best possible care for our patients with dementia; helping their carers/loved ones; and supporting colleagues caring for patients with dementia within our hospitals.

We know that being in hospital can be distressing and confusing for anyone, but having dementia can make this even worse – both as a patient and for those who provide invaluable support.

This is why we want to establish an Expert Reference Group of carers who have lived experience of dementia, who can share their experiences. There is no doubt that if you have lived with or through an experience then you are an expert much more than others who have not.

It is these valuable insights that we hope will help us to develop our dementia services – making them better for our patients and their carers.

We are looking for about 15 people who care (or have recently cared) for someone living with dementia to come together to form this group. They will then be able to:

  • Listen to staff who design and deliver services, make suggestions and contribute from their expert perspective as a carer who has experienced such services.
  • Collectively influence and act as a representative group that can be called upon to contribute to debate and discussion about dementia care within the Trust’s hospitals.
  • Bring valuable and unique lived experience into a group of others so that together a varied and inclusive view can be sought.

We want to hear our carers’ voices, we want you to work with us to let your lived experience help us to be the best we can possibly be, we want to listen and learn from your experiences.

This is not only about the care we provide today, but also in the future. Your voice really will help us to make changes that will benefit so many people from across Lincolnshire.

Please can I ask anyone, who is interested or would like more information, to email [email protected].