Two dementia wards at the Vale of Leven Hospital have been praised for the care staff are providing for their patients.
The Mental Welfare Commission carried out planned visits to both the Fruin and Katrine ward at the end of June and were impressed with their findings.
Details of the visit were due to be presented to West Dunbartonshire health and social care partnership’s audit and performance committee last week.
The document read: “The report authors were impressed with the level of detail and the quality of information within the chronological nursing notes. These contained detailed information around the individual’s mental and emotional state on a daily basis and what may be affecting this.
“Where individuals exhibited stressed and distressed behaviours, staff clearly put a great deal of thought and effort into identifying actual and potential triggers and provided clear information on effective strategies for distraction and de-escalation.
“The authors particularly liked the ‘guide to my day’ which provided a short, accessible summary of the individual’s routine, care needs and preferences.”
Family members spoken to by the commission were “very positive” about communication from staff.
The document also touched on the ward’s response to the pandemic.
It said: “The report describes being told that senior management had been very supportive during two Covid outbreak periods, and that additional medical support from the general hospital and support from the palliative care team had been invaluable.”
There was one recommendation in the report that managers should review their audit processes to improve the quality of mental health care plans to reflect the holistic care needs of each patient.
