Age UK Norfolk, the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital and Serco work together for a dementia-friendly service

Age UK Norfolk will be at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital next week to deliver an innovative dementia training package to café staff.

The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH) and its partner Serco, which provides catering services at the hospital, are working with Age UK Norfolk to ensure the cafes in the hospital are accessible and welcoming places for people with dementia and their carers.

Busy cafes and restaurants can be challenging environments for people with dementia and Age UK Norfolk will be giving dementia training to 30 members of Serco staff working in the hospital’s cafés to provide them with valuable skills and knowledge as well as some practical guidance to help them to offer a service that is more inclusive to customers with dementia and their carers.

The training includes a brief introduction into the signs and symptoms of dementia, how the environment affects people with dementia, developing communication skills and understanding the issues someone with dementia might experience with communication.

Liz Yaxley, Dementia Project Manager said: “It is great that our partners, Serco, are working with Age UK Norfolk, a trusted organisation with a wealth of dementia training experience, for the benefit of our patients and visitors.”
Nayab Haider, Serco Contract Director at NNUH said: “We are very pleased to be working with Age UK Norfolk to provide our staff with advice and training to improve customer service for people with dementia. It is very important to provide great customer service for everyone.”

Tina Neil, Training Officer at Age UK Norfolk said: “We are delighted to support the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital and Serco, a major provider of hospital services, helping them to improve the accessibility of the cafes and restaurants in the hospital for people with dementia and their carers.”