Hospital Dementia services project: Aged care and dementia services in New South Wales hospitals

Abstract

Aims: To describe the availability of aged care and dementia services in public hospitals in New South Wales (NSW), Australia in 2006/2007. Method: Hospitals were surveyed about issues relevant to dementia in acute care including the types of aged care wards and staff, policies, practices, clinics, community services and resources for dementia care. Results: Responses were obtained from 163 hospitals (82%); responding hospitals represented 93.4% of NSW hospital beds, 96.7% of multiday episodes of care. Hospitals that had a Specialist Mental Health Service for Older People (SMHSOP) and an Aged Care Service (ACS) had the highest levels of dementia-related services and policies. Few hospitals without ACS or SMHSOP had clinics for dementia assessment, secure beds for disturbed behaviour, or services to manage patients with dementia and medical or behavioural comorbidity in the community. Conclusion: Dementia services in NSW hospitals are closely aligned with ACS and SMHSOP, with limited dementia services in hospitals without ACS or SMHSOP.