By . Jenny Hope . Last updated at 10:52 AM on 16th December 2011 . Thousands of dementia patients are suffering at the hands of undertrained hospital staff who fail to treat them as individuals and ignore their calls for help, a report has found. Patients are deprived of the simple comfort of seeing family photos or cards. On almost two out of three wards, or 59 per cent, personal items are not situated where they can reassure patients who are often frightened and confused, the first National Audit of Dementia, covering 210 hospitals in England and Wales, says. Concerns: The first National Audit of Dementia has revealed many sufferers are at risk from undertrained NHS staff (file picture) Just one in three staff said they had sufficient training in caring for those  suffering from dementia and half are not properly trained to communicate with those suffering from Alzheimer’s or deal with aggressive behaviour. The report criticised the ‘impersonal’ way in which dementia patients are treated – despite them occupying a quarter of beds. Pledge: Care services Minister Paul Burstow said hospitals will be encouraged to identify patients at risk . Staff do not always greet or talk to patients during care. They do not always explain what they are doing or offer a choice, and sometimes they do not respond to requests for help, the report added. Jeremy Hughes, chief executive of the Alzheimer’s Society, said: ‘This shocking report proves once again that we urgently need a radical shake-up of hospital care. Given that people with dementia occupy a quarter of hospital beds and that many leave in worse health than when they were admitted, it is unacceptable that training in dementia care is not the norm.’ Care services minister Paul Burstow said: ‘We set this audit up to put dementia care in hospital under the spotlight. ‘It has found some excellent practice, but it has revealed far too many hospitals failing to put in place dementia-friendly care. ‘That is why we are putting in place a new financial incentive for hospitals that identify patients at risk, so they get the specialised care they need.’ Professor Peter Crome, chairman of the national audit of dementia steering group revealed that only six per cent of hospitals had a care pathway for . people with dementia - that is a written down plan of how patients, once . they have been admitted to hospital with dementia, will be cared for . and managed. He said that universal measures need to be implemented to remedy the problem and prevent lapses in care. He told  the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: 'Around a whole range of issues to do with people's functions, their mental state, the policies were in place but the practice was not undertaken.' 'Hospitals need to gear up their services on the assumption that the next patient who comes through the front door may have dementia - they often may not be diagnosed but they may have that condition - and they have to adapt the services, procedures, policies to manage such patients appropriately with compassion for their dignity.' It is estimated around two million people have a neurological condition in the UK.
Just one in three staff said they had sufficient training .
First National Audit of Dementia covered 210 hospitals in England and Wales .
By . Jenny Hope . Last updated at 10:52 AM on 16th December 2011 . Thousands of dementia patients are suffering at the hands of undertrained hospital staff who fail to treat them as individuals and ignore their calls for help, a report has found. Patients are deprived of the simple comfort of seeing family photos or cards. On almost two out of three wards, or 59 per cent, personal items are not situated where they can reassure patients who are often frightened and confused, the first National Audit of Dementia, covering 210 hospitals in England and Wales, says. Concerns: The first National Audit of Dementia has revealed many sufferers are at risk from undertrained NHS staff (file picture) Just one in three staff said they had sufficient training in caring for those  suffering from dementia and half are not properly trained to communicate with those suffering from Alzheimer’s or deal with aggressive behaviour. The report criticised the ‘impersonal’ way in which dementia patients are treated – despite them occupying a quarter of beds. Pledge: Care services Minister Paul Burstow said hospitals will be encouraged to identify patients at risk . Staff do not always greet or talk to patients during care. They do not always explain what they are doing or offer a choice, and sometimes they do not respond to requests for help, the report added. Jeremy Hughes, chief executive of the Alzheimer’s Society, said: ‘This shocking report proves once again that we urgently need a radical shake-up of hospital care. Given that people with dementia occupy a quarter of hospital beds and that many leave in worse health than when they were admitted, it is unacceptable that training in dementia care is not the norm.’ Care services minister Paul Burstow said: ‘We set this audit up to put dementia care in hospital under the spotlight. ‘It has found some excellent practice, but it has revealed far too many hospitals failing to put in place dementia-friendly care. ‘That is why we are putting in place a new financial incentive for hospitals that identify patients at risk, so they get the specialised care they need.’ Professor Peter Crome, chairman of the national audit of dementia steering group revealed that only six per cent of hospitals had a care pathway for . people with dementia - that is a written down plan of how patients, once . they have been admitted to hospital with dementia, will be cared for . and managed. He said that universal measures need to be implemented to remedy the problem and prevent lapses in care. He told  the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: 'Around a whole range of issues to do with people's functions, their mental state, the policies were in place but the practice was not undertaken.' 'Hospitals need to gear up their services on the assumption that the next patient who comes through the front door may have dementia - they often may not be diagnosed but they may have that condition - and they have to adapt the services, procedures, policies to manage such patients appropriately with compassion for their dignity.' It is estimated around two million people have a neurological condition in the UK.
confused, the first National Audit of Dementia, covering 210 hospitals in England and Wales, one in three staff said they had sufficient