View the case studies below focusing on Staff PPI Champions within Learning Disability Services:
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Altnagelvin Emergency Department - Sensory Room
Download and Print the Altnagelvin Emergency Department – Sensory Room Case Study
Involvement Case Study
Contact Details
Professional area Acute Liaison Nurse Learning Disability Contact Name Clionagh McElhinney Email Address Clionagh.mcelhinney@westerntrust.hscni.net Phone number 07788361451 Summary (Max 100 words)
As part of my role as Acute liaison nurse for Learning Disability I ensure that reasonable adjustments are provided for patients with a learning disability when attending Altnagelvin and also educate staff in acute care regarding appropriate reasonable adjustments. As with all Emergence departments they are extremely crowded, busy and noisy. Space is also limited therefore it can be very difficult to provide reasonable adjustments for patients with a learning disability and they often find it difficult to cope in such environments. This often leads to the patient becoming very overwhelmed and frightened. Feedback from parents, carers and families since 2019 reported that they find this environment very stressful for both patient and carer. They also stated that the patient can become very anxious and agitated and often leave the Emergency department without having an investigations, care or treatment carried out.
In response to this feedback, in 2021, I worked in partnership with the emergency department in Altnagelvin and the Adult Learning Disability Involvement team to create a Sensory, Quiet room within the department, so that patients with a learning disability could wait and also have any relevant investigations or treatment carried. This room has calming lighting, projector with soothing images around the room, fibre optics and bubble tube. It also has a portable unit with sensory equipment to help keep the patient relaxed.
What was the issue?
The Emergency department can be a very busy and overstimulating environment which patients with a learning disability find very difficult to cope with and will often leave the department without the appropriate care. Therefore this can lead to poor health outcomes for this population.
What was your plan or goal?
To create a quiet/sensory room within Emergency Department in Altnagelvin for patients with a learning disability so that they will be able to tolerate waiting in order to have their care completed and also minimise transitions throughout the department to improve their outcomes in terms of both health and experience.
Who did you engage with and how?
Patients with a learning disability and their families/carers by meeting with them face to face and feedback forms.
Staff within the Emergency department Altnagelvin- Training sessions, meeting with managers and emails
What did you do?
Worked in partnership with Emergency department manager and senior management team to identify an appropriate space and negotiate access to this space.
Worked in partnership with Adult Learning Disability Involvement team to raise the issue and need and to identify resources
Met with Learning disability O/T regarding appropriate equipment to meet the needs of ALD population. Viewed sensory rooms within other areas for ideas.
Worked with local suppliers for quotes and expert advice.
What difficulties did you face and how did you overcome them?
- Pandemic had an impact – Emergency department under severe pressure – difficult to secure room as all areas being used to full capacity.
- Time constraints of Staff very busy, difficult to organise meeting and get buy in from staff within Emergency Department. Difficult to build relationships with staff as they had other priorities
- I continued to lead and drive the initiative despite the challenges ensuring this work was kept on the agenda of ED manager and senior management team, and would be of minimal disruption to ED.
What difference has it made? Outcomes? Impact?
The room was complete in December 2021 and since then both myself and Emergency department staff have had very positive feedback from both staff, patients and their families/ carers. This has been received via social media, Face to face, verbal feedback, Care opinion and written feedback.
Family/ carers have said:
“Usually this would be the most stressful things in our lives but with the new sensory room it was brilliant” “Has to be one the best ideas Altnagelvin has ever done”
“made a stressful situation more manageable”
“He was very settled throughout his time in Emergence department he loved it”
“We were in and out of Emergence Department in 4 hours with all care completed”.
The outcome of having this sensory room within Altnagelvin’s Emergence Department is that it will minimise stress/anxiety of both patient with a learning disability and their families/carers so that they receive timely, safe and effective care specific to their health needs.
Future Plans
Future plans is to continue to gather feedback from Staff, Patients and their families/carers. Measure outcomes/ impact and usage of the room.
Roll this initiative into other departments within Altnagelvin ( Daycase unit, outpatient department) and other
Acute settings within the WHSCT (SWAH & Omagh hospital.)
Email case study to: Julie.mcginty@westerntrust.hscni.net
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Occupational Therapy Leaflet
Download and Print the Occupational Therapy Leaflet Case Study
Involvement Case Study
Contact Details
Professional area Learning Disability Occupational Therapy Contact Name Dr Shelley Crawford and Louise McGurk Email Address shelley.crawford@westerntrust.hscni.net Phone number 02871864362 Summary (Max 100 words)
To collaborate with existing Learning Disability Service User groups in the co-production of an information leaflet for LD Occupational Therapy Services within the WHSCT. This is now available as an easy read printed leaflet at the referral stage of service as well as a digital version available on the Learning Disability Hub.
What was the issue?
Lack of existing Occupational Therapy service information collated in one place in an accessible and easy read format. Recent staff and service growth was not readily known to the Learning Disability community.
Carers reported to us that they were unclear about Allied Health Professional service provision.
What was your plan or goal?
To present LD Occupational Therapy service info in an accessible and easy read format for service users and carers throughout the Trust area. It was a priority that the information should be as understandable to service users as much as their families/carers. A short and eye catching information leaflet would best suit with a focus on service user collaboration to help co design content and final product. The leaflet would have a limited print run and available as a digital download through the Adult LD Hub.
Who did you engage with and how?
Liaised with the LD Involvement team to identify two existing service user groups who would help co design the leaflet and moderate content. The Now Group in Omagh and the Mencap ‘Buzz Group’ in Fermanagh were approached by the Involvement team and agreed to take part.
What did you do?
A rough draft of the relevant OT info was sent to Mencap ‘Buzz Group’ and the ‘NOW’ group via email. Both groups met with service users in December 2021 to discuss language and pictures used as well as overall content and aim of the leaflet. Feedback was constructive and positive and was collated by the LD Involvement Team and sent to Occupational Therapy for consideration. Feedback focused primarily on the design, colours and graphics of the leaflet as well as changing some of the language to make it easier to understand. Graphic layout and colours were of particular interest and service users believed the leaflet should be as eye catching as possible and fed back re pictures and colour scheme etc.
What difficulties did you face and how did you overcome them?
No additional funding for final printing but Involvement team covered costs.
What difference has it made? Outcomes? Impact?
Collating Learning Disability Occupational Therapy service info in one easy read format has increased awareness and knowledge of what the service provides to people with a Learning Disability and their carers. Aims to improve awareness and reduce anxiety and improve ability to navigate OT services. Collected easy read info allows other professional services, such as social workers, to answer any potential queries they may get quickly and efficiently.
The info leaflets would not have been possible in their final format without the input of service users across the Trust.
Future Plans
Potential for future service evaluation of LD Occupational Services through questionnaires and/or focus group of recent service users. Details and timeframe to be confirmed.