New admiral nurse to be appointed to aid Kirkwood Hospice patients

A new admiral nurse is to be appointed to aid patients at Kirkwood Hospice.
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News story

In partnership, Kirkwood Hospice, Kirklees Council, and Dementia UK, will be appointing a hospice Admiral Nurse, to support the Kirkwood Hospice care teams and the wider Admiral Nursing team in Kirklees.

The appointment will extend the Admiral Nursing team in Kirklees to nine nurses, making it one of the largest in the country.

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People living with dementia at the end of life often have complex palliative conditions.

The new hospice Admiral Nurse will provide essential care in the Kirklees community to people living with dementia, as well as supporting their families and carers.

The number of people living with dementia in Kirklees is expected to rise in the next 10 years, to around 7,000 people, so Kirkwood Hospice and Kirklees Council are working together to identify and fill care gaps so the community is equally and well supported.

Sarah Shaw, Director of Clinical Services at Kirkwood Hospice, said: “Improving access to care for people who don’t currently use our services but could is a vital part of our strategy.

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“A recent report from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) highlighted concerns that end of life care needs of people from equality groups, including people living with dementia, are particularly overlooked.

“Our aim is to improve inequality of care and to reach out to the wider community of Kirklees to improve access to dementia care at the end of life.

“The addition of a hospice Admiral Nurse is a huge step towards achieving this.

“All of Kirkwood’s staff has received Dementia Friends training and the new Admiral Nurse will complement the services our team already provide, helping to ensure the highest possible standard of care for those in need.”

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Admiral Nurses provide a unique role in care management by joining up the different parts of the health and social care system, so the needs of family carers and people with dementia can be addressed in a co-ordinated way.

This model of nursing is proven to prevent unnecessary hospital admissions and enable people with life-limiting conditions to live the best quality of life that they can, while improving support to their families.

Councillor Viv Kendrick, Kirklees Council Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care, said: “The appointment of the Admiral Nurse is fantastic news.

“We see first hand the impact dementia has on people’s lives and recognise the important contribution that Admiral Nurses make in helping everyone to understand and cope with the challenges presented by dementia.

“The help and advice Admiral Nurses provide has been an invaluable addition to the support already available and I look forward to hearing about the difference this makes.”