How it all started

In 2021, we applied for a grant through the Barclays 100 x 100 Community Fund, where we were awarded £100,000 for our fantastic new Dementia Care Project. In April 2022, we launched the project, which allowed the Hospice to begin providing specialist and essential care to patients diagnosed with dementia.

The Dementia Care Project allowed us to recruit Dementia Specialist Nurse, Margaret Diggle, who works across the Hospice, providing support to our clinical teams, and ensuring that we deliver the best care to patients and their families.

What does Dementia Care look like?

Dementia Care is a Specialist Dementia Care Service that aims to raise the profile of dementia and recognise it as a palliative disease. The service provides support to patients who have a Dementia diagnosis, as well as their loved ones.

Margaret Diggle
Dementia Specialist Nurse

The referral process
A referral to the Specialist Dementia Care nurse can come from the following:
A healthcare professional (e.g. GP)
Alzheimer's Society 
The Hospice team who have recognised a patient as needing specialist support

If you have any questions, or would like more information about referrals, 
please contact our Dementia Specialist Nurse, Margaret, at margaret.diggle@nhs.net.

Join our monthly drop in sessions!

On the last Friday of each month, we hold a drop-in session in our Springhill Suite; allowing carers who are supporting an individual with dementia, both formally and informally, to access information, knowledge and training opportunities, while ensuring they are also supported in a safe and welcoming environment.  These sessions can also be used as a tool to signpost to the relevant services, if appropriate.

In house teaching

We have a rolling programme for all Hospice staff, which educates on the nature of dementia and the behaviours that can challenge services. Over half of the staff at Springhill Hospice have already accessed the training so far and have been positively evaluated.

The Dementia friendly Garden

An exciting addition to our services is the Dementia Care Garden. Based on research from Sterling University, outdoor spaces have a proven positive impact on all individuals. Therefore, we believe that a dementia-friendly outdoor space is highly beneficial to supporting our Dementia Care patients as a whole.

The Dementia friendly Garden was designed to incorporating features that help those with Dementia utilise all their senses.

The garden is available Hospice wide, and we have seen a positive impact on everyone’s emotional and mental wellbeing.

Information about our Dementia Care Service can be found in this leaflet

This workbook can help patients and loved ones communicate and capture memories. To be completed at your own pace. 

This workbook can help patients and loved ones communicate and capture memories. To be completed at your own pace. 

See  when our monthly Drop-In Session dates are.

See  when our monthly Drop-In Session dates are.