North Devon District Hospital will now have an Angela Walter as an Admiral Nurse – a specialist role which supports people with dementia, carers, family and staff.
Admiral Nurses are trained by Dementia UK can provide specialist one-to-one support and guidance.
‘I am extremely proud to be an Admiral Nurse. Helping our patients with dementia has been a real passion of mine, and I am really pleased to be able to focus on this now,’ said Angela Walter.
‘I will be helping people to live well with dementia and giving carers and families the support I know can be so valuable to them.’
Ms Walter has spent many years working as a nurse and in this role she will be the first Admiral Nurse in Devon.
Another part of her role will include educating and training staff at the hospital so that care for people with dementia can be improved overall.
‘I know that Angela will play an absolutely fantastic role in helping families in Devon face dementia,’ said Hilda Hayo, chief executive and chief Admiral Nurse at Dementia UK.
‘People often hear about the challenges that people with dementia go through, but it’s often the silent carers, such as partners and close relatives, who are in need of specialist support. Angela will be supporting both groups with her amazing breadth of dementia expertise and experience.’
Prior to this role, Ms Walter introduced the ‘This is me – getting to know me’ document to the hospital, which gathered useful information about people with dementia to help staff better understand their patients as individuals. By knowing what patients enjoy, such as hobbies and interests, staff can deliver more personalised care.