Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
Dementia education and training
We are internationally recognised for our research on effective dementia education and training for the health and social care workforce.
The findings of our What Works in dementia education and training? Study (see below) are cited in the English Dementia Training Standards Framework as representing the gold standard for dementia training design and delivery. This has supported widespread adoption of these standards by education and training and health and care service providers, changing the way training is designed, delivered and implemented nationally and internationally. We work collaboratively with dementia care providers, academics, commissioners and policy makers in the UK and internationally on projects related to dementia education and training. If you are interested in working with us, then please get in touch.
We submitted a REF 2020 impact case study on our research on dementia education and training and its impact on policy and practice nationally and internationally.
Centre staff are members of the Higher Education for Dementia Network, for which Dr Sarah Smith is co-chair.
Current and recent funded research and evaluation:
Dementia education and training
The Person-Centred Observation and Reflection Tool (PORT) is a reflective observation tool, grounded in person-centred care, to support staff to develop empathic skills and their own practice. It addresses the current gap for a simple to learn and use, observation tool that is accessible to all staff. It was developed by the international consortium the Person First dementia Network (PFdN). A network of which the Centre for Dementia Research at Leeds Beckett University is a member.
Chief Investigator: Professor Claire Surr
Funder: None to date
To read more about PORT please visit the PORT project page
People who have dementia often get distressed when they are in hospital. Distress can be shown by agitation, aggression or calling out. How healthcare practitioners say things can calm or inflame a difficult situation, but this has not been studied in detail in this setting. 'Conversation Analysis' is a research method which looks at the fine detail of the language we use, including 'body language', and the responses to it. This study will use conversation analysis to identify approaches that work in reducing distress in video recording of interactions between staff and patients with dementia in acute hospitals. It will develop a training programme on communication approaches to help prevent and support distress and deliver this to staff in two acute hospitals. It will use in-depth case studies on two wards at each hospital site to assess the impact of the training.
Chief Investigator: Professor Rowan Harwood, University of Nottingham
Leeds Beckett Investigators: Professor Claire Surr
Funder: National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), Health and Social Care Delivery Research programme (HS&DR)
Funding amount: £828,827
This study aimed to identify the features of effective dementia education and training for the health and social care workforce and to map current English dementia training provision against best practice standards.
To read more about the study please visit the What Works? project page.
- Chief Investigator: Professor Claire Surr
- Leeds Beckett investigators: Dr Sarah Smith, Cara Sass, Dr Sarah Burden
- Funder: Department of Health Policy Research Programme on behalf of Health Education England.
- Funding amount: £462,757
This consultancy project involves working with homecare provider Anglian Care and Virtual reality (VR) company Moonhub to co-develop VR-based dementia training for Anglian Care’s staff. We are also conducting an evaluation of the training including staff reactions and its impact on staff knowledge, attitudes and confidence in caring for someone with dementia. We are continuing to work collaboratively with Anglian Care and Moonhub to develop additional VR-based dementia training content.
- Research lead: Professor Claire Surr
- Leeds Beckett Investigators: Dr Sarah Smith
- Funder: Anglian Care
This consultancy project involves working with Barchester Healthcare to co-develop dementia e-learning for its care home staff, employing best practice from the results of the What Works? study. We also reviewed and provided a foreword to an A to Z of dementia guide that is provided to each member of care home staff.
- Consultancy lead: Professor Claire Surr
- Other Leeds Beckett contributors: Dr Rachael Kelley, Dr Sarah Smith
- Funder: Barchester Healthcare
This consultancy project involves development and co-delivery of management and leadership training for care home managers working for Avery Healthcare.
- Consultancy Lead: Dr Sarah Smith
- Other Leeds Beckett Contributors: Dr Sarah Burden, Prof Claire Surr
- Funder: Avery Healthcare
This consultancy project involved development of training materials to accompany Health Education England’s Finding Patience films.
- Consultancy lead: Dr Sarah Smith
- Funder: Health Education England
- You can download the training materials from Health Education England’s website.
This consultancy project involved co-developing Managing Success; a free support resource for social care services, with Skills for Care and Skills for Health. The resource provides details of training materials that can be used to develop and deliver dementia training that aligns with Tier 2 of the Dementia Training Standards Framework and the outcomes of the What Works? study.
- Consultancy Lead: Professor Claire Surr
- Funder: Health Education England
- You can download the Managing Success resource.
This consultancy project involves updating the existing e-learning for health modules on dementia designed for use by General Practitioners. It is commissioned by Health Education England.
- Consultancy lead: Dr Sarah Smith
- Funder: Health Education England
