“Thought I would take the opportunity to do a dementia audit”

Hello, it’s Steven Clifford. Whilst at Stepping Hill hospital in Stockport the other day, I thought I’d take the opportunity in doing a dementia audit. In other words, just seeing how dementia panned with my route from the car park to the ward with me.

I’ve been to Stepping Hill hospital in Stockport hundreds of times attending numerous clinics because of all the operations I’ve had. And I personally have never had any problems getting around. But things change, and my own perspective has altered a bit. So with the admission letter in my hand, told me where I was supposed to go. I parked the car, myself and Margaret who obviously came with me, set off to find the ward. Be there at 7am it said, still dark. So there was a problem already.

The letter told me to go to a particular ward. But there was no map, no instructions as to where the ward was. Luckily I knew where I was going to go, but I took the view, ‘what if I didn’t?’ I looked around for any signage showing me to this ward, which was the short stay unit, or ward B5.

When you enter the hospital grounds, the building that stands out, right in front of you is the new medical assessment unit. The short stay is in that building on the second floor. But the first and only signage to that ward is a small sign above the lift, just outside the blue tunnel. There are two large signs showing all the departments and a map all colour coded, but both these signs are outside. One opposite the A & E, the other opposite the main bus stop. Unfortunately neither has its own illumination, depending solely on any street lights nearby, so in effect, totally useless and in any case, far too complicated.

Stepping Hill hospital has just been awarded as a specialist, super hospital. And as such, it should excel in all aspects of patient communication, it should be 100% dementia friendly. And that means that signage to all the departments should be clear, very simple and very easy to read.

In my view, there could be considerable improvements made to the signage to all the various places, clinics wards and departments. The main feature of the hospital, which everyone can associate with is the blue tunnel which I’ve just mentioned before, there’s an easy point of reference to a newcomers and is very easily found. Yet there is no signage either in the tunnel or how to get there. When someone has found themselves in the tunnel, it will be very easy to get anywhere else in the hospital and consequently to the other two main corridors.

So in my view this could, and should be a focal point for any signage. It is obvious that those in charge at Stepping Hill hospital need to take more advice from patients. From groups like ours on a regular basis. It is obvious that professionals be they sign makers or administrators are not the best people to recommend what are best signs. Or in fact where to put them, or even what is considered useful signage for everyone.

Thank you.

Dementia Diaries would like to thank Sophie Copage for transcribing this report.