NHS told to make better use of hospital passports to support patients

Hospital passports need to be more consistently used across the NHS to better support patients with communication difficulties, a learning disability nurse says.

Support for patients with communication needs and learning disabilities, as well as the nurses caring for them, is often ‘inconsistent’, according to RCN professional lead for learning disabilities Jonathan Beebee.

Coupled with the current system-wide pressure of patient backlogs and high staff vacancy rates it means patients often do not have their communication needs met.

A hospital passport, which contains vital information about a patient’s health condition, learning disability and communication needs, would help address this, Mr Beebee told Nursing Standard. 

"There has got to be better consistency in how we are identifying people with communication needs, how they are getting flagged and how nurses are being pointed to that from the second that someone is admitted to the ward," he said.

Mr Beebee says ensuring a standardised approach would improve patient experience and ultimately nurses’ relationship with patients.

Read full story

Source: Nursing Standard, 27 July 2022