Dementia Care Mapping tool recognised in VC Awards
The School of Dementia Studies team was one of the 2016 winners of the University's Vice-Chancellor's Awards for Outstanding Achievement. The award was made in recognition of our development of the Bradford Dementia Care Mappingâ„¢ tool.
The School of Dementia Studies, previously known as Bradford Dementia Group has played a long-standing role in 'improving the quality of care for people with dementia’, and thereby helped countless individuals to 'live well with dementia'. The current team have nurtured the legacy of the late Professor Tom Kitwood to build and progress the concept of 'person-centred care'. The Bradford Dementia Care Mapping (DCMTM) tool was developed around person-centred care, allowing practitioners to evaluate care from the perspective of the person with dementia. They have since developed a shortened version of this tool called the Short Observational Framework for Inspection or ‘SOFI’. SOFI is used by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) during inspection visits and therefore underpins judgements made on the quality of care providing a direct route by which the work of the dementia team at Bradford impacts upon the lives of those living with dementia.
Prof Murna Downs, Head of School said the team was thrilled to have their work recognised with this award.
"It's a tremendous boost to all of us to be feted in this way for our contribution to making knowledge work for people affected by dementia. It gives us encouragement to continue to build our work to go on making a difference to the lives of those with dementia.”
Evidence of their contribution towards sustainability includes research to avoid unnecessary hospital admissions. Internationalisation is evident in their network with collaborators and users of Dementia Care Mapping in Europe, America, Australia and Japan. For equality and diversity they work actively with local NHS Trusts to improve care pathways for South Asian families, 40% of whom drop out of services. Excellence is demonstrated by all of the above and was this year recognised by the award of a Queens Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education.
Dr Pam Bagley, Dean of the Faculty of Health Studies said: "actively enhances lives; that is real impact!"
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