Journal of Disability and Oral Health

cover art

Cover Date:
December 2013
Print ISSN:
1470-8558
Vol:
14
Issue:
4

A report on a pilot aimed at improving the oral health of older people within a hospital setting

Abstract Aim and objective: Following the identification of older people as a Scottish government oral health priority group, a pilot aimed at improving the oral health of older hospital in-patients was launched. This involved training staff in oral care and developing Oral Health Risk Assessment (OHRA) paperwork to support good practice. This paper assesses the impact of the pilot in terms of paperwork completion and documents the unexpected outcomes. Methodology: Training was delivered to staff caring for older patients throughout the pilot. OHRA paperwork was developed and made available to staff. Paperwork completion was reviewed and a focus group was conducted with representative ward staff. Results: Training evaluated positively throughout the pilot. Completion of paperwork review showed that while OHRA paperwork was being completed, this was often incomplete and did not trigger the correct care planning that was intended. The focus group with staff showed that while they found the layout of paperwork helpful they were unclear on how paperwork should be sourced, and were often left for periods of time without any OHRA paperwork. They also appreciated training but felt there were general barriers to completing paperwork due to other priorities and time pressure. Conclusion: Together, the review of paperwork and focus group provided useful insights into the barriers and potential solutions for increasing the use of paperwork within the wards. Good partnerships formed within this pilot gave rise to opportunities which resulted in several additional and unexpected benefits.

Key words: Hospital, oral health risk assessment, oral health, older people, oral health training

Doi: 10.448/JDOH_26Laidlaw12

Article Price
£15.00
Institution Article Price
£
Page Start
123
Page End
134
Authors
L A Laidlaw, F Grier, S Welsh, M Edwards

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  1. Diary Dates
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