Fast follower Pennine hospital rolls-out digital dementia tool

A digital tool to detect delirium and dementia has been rolled out across Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust as part of their Global Digital Exemplar (GDE) fast follower programme.

Using a blueprint from GDE, Salford Royal Foundation NHS Trust, which was released as part of the first wave of digital blueprints in February, Pennine Acute Hospitals has now embedded the electronic screening into patient care.

The programme introduces a digital screening tool for over-65s who are at risk of delirium and dementia, helping them get access to the right treatment faster.

It also signposts nurses to advice and support to improve patient care, as well as indicating whether the patient needs to be escalated for further assessment by specialists.

Specialists are also able to better monitor patients through recording of vital information.

Dr Georges Ng Man Kwong, CCIO at Pennine Acute Hospitals, said: “Digitising our clinical pathways will streamline patient care in a number of specialties and really make a difference to both staff and patients.

“This is one of a number of projects within the GDE fast follower programme, which will support the transformation of our clinical services across the Northern Care Alliance.

“Improving our digital systems is one of the six key priorities of the Northern Care Alliance. We are investing in improvements to support the delivery of patient care and we are on a seven-stage change journey to improve our digital maturity.”

Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust was given the green light from NHS England in February for a £10million digital programme to invest in digital technology and improved patient care systems across hospitals in Bury, Oldham, Rochdale and North Manchester. The funding is part of its fast follower programme.