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  • About the project
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Aim of the project

The aim of this project is to improve the use of communication skills and strategies of health and social care professionals working with older people who have a neurological condition and their carers. To that end we will:

• Devise and pilot a training course which gives professionals the confidence to deal with the communication needs of older people who have neurological conditions, and their carers
• Produce a toolkit containing guidance and recommendations for health and social care professionals on communicating with older people with neurological conditions.

Project outcome

The project will enable health and social care professionals to better communicate with older people with a neurological condition, improving the quality of care provided.

Pilot sites

The project will be piloted in seven Primary Care Trusts:

• Hampshire
• Liverpool
• Medway
• Sutton and Merton (London)
• Tower Hamlets (London)
• West Kent
• Surrey

A series of nursing homes (mainly in Surrey) and care providers have also agreed to participate in our project.

Background to the project

There are an estimated 10 million people in the UK living with a neurological condition and an increased prevalence of neurological conditions in older people. The Neurological Alliance highlight that "the numbers of people with neurological conditions will grow sharply in the next two decades due to increased longevity and improved diagnostic techniques".

On the Equality and Human Rights Commission's website there is a section on communication in relation to Health and Social Care. It states that 'good communication is essential to effective healthcare' ... 'it is the responsibility of your health or social care provider to overcome any problems with communication that may arise, not just in giving you information in a format that you can understand, but also in giving you sufficient opportunity to discuss your situation with the relevant people'.

The project is funded by the Department of Health for a period of two years and has clear links with the communication aspects of the National Service Framework for Older People, the White Paper 'Our health, our care, our say' as well as the National Stroke and Dementia strategies.