Bristol dementia training project crowned regional winner in the 2024 NHS Parliamentary Awards

Posted by Devon Partnership Trust in News on 5th September, 2024

An innovative project simulating the effects of dementia to care home staff in Bristol has won the regional Excellence in Mental Health Care Award in this year’s 2024 NHS Parliamentary Awards. The project now goes through to the national final in October.

The “Empathy Experience” which is run by the Bristol Dementia Wellbeing Service (BDWS) uses aging-simulation suits to deliver engaging and interactive training.

The suits simulate physical and sensory impairments associated with older age, such as limited mobility, hearing and sight loss and confusion.

The service’s Care Home Liaison team developed the training after recognising that traditional information-based training was rarely effective in changing the culture, skills, or practice of care home staff, and felt compelled to find a more effective approach.

Known as the “The Empathy Experience”, the goal is to build empathy for residents living with dementia, hopefully inspiring staff to provide person-centred care to residents.

Since launching the pilot in July 2023, the team has delivered the training in 20 care homes, reaching more than 150 staff so far, helping to change practice and reduce stigma and misconceptions around dementia. But the impact has been felt beyond Bristol, including the England Football Team, some of whose players wore the suit ahead of the Alzheimer’s Society International game in March.

Phill Mantay, Chief Executive Officer for Devon Partnership NHS Trust which jointly runs the Bristol Dementia Wellbeing Service, said: “I’d like to thank Bristol East MP Kerry McCarthy for putting us forward for this award.

“I’m incredibly proud of the work that the Bristol Dementia Wellbeing Service does and I’m thrilled that they have won the regional award. The service is having such a positive impact not only on those receiving the training, but also those living with dementia.

“With dementia diagnosis rates increasing year or year it’s so important that we work together to ensure that people living with dementia are cared for with compassion and understanding and it’s fantastic that the team is being approached to share their learning beyond Bristol.

“I want to wish the team a huge congratulations and a huge good luck ahead of the national award ceremony in October.”

While memory loss and non-physical symptoms are most common, people living with dementia experience physical challenges such as fatigue and changes in vision. The suit helps wearers to truly understand how these changes can feel by giving them the opportunity to experience it for themselves.

The project has Already made a significant impact.  Self-reported levels of confidence, competence, and empathy among care home staff have increased significantly as a result of the project’s workshops. These have been evaluated immediately after the training and ten weeks later.

Virginia Wild, Service Manager for the Bristol Dementia Wellbeing Service, said: “I am delighted that our Care Home Liaison Service has been shortlisted in The Excellence in Mental Health category at this year’s Parliamentary Awards.

“More than 980,000 people are estimated to be living with dementia in the UK with this rate increasing year on year. Timely diagnosis and education are key to ensuring we can provide truly person-centred, compassionate care and better support people living with dementia.

“I’m incredibly proud of the team and the work they have done to help make Bristol is a dementia friendly city and we will continue to work alongside others to increase awareness of dementia symptoms and the help available.”

BDWS will now go on to represent the South West in the national awards ceremony, alongside those from other English regions, at the Queen Elizabeth II Centre in Westminster on Monday 14 October.