The Mouth Care Matters programme aims to create a specialised healthcare team that is more responsive and personalised for patients and delivers better clinical outcomes, bringing an increased awareness of the importance of good mouth care and how it impacts on general health and quality of life.
Mouth Care Matters will involve training of nursing staff, improved equipment on wards for oral care, increased recording of oral care in patient’s notes and measures to reduce denture loss to name but a few aspects of the programme. It includes participation in a national audit and all the outcomes will be measured.
The project promotes a more holistic experience for the patient and focus on all aspects of healthcare throughout their time in hospital.
Finbar O’Mahony, Consultant in Special Care Dentistry at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: “The Special Care Dentistry Department here at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals is very excited to part of the national roll-out of this excellent programme. There is clear and compelling evidence regarding the effects of oral health on general health. For example, the loss of dentures for inpatients can have a detrimental effect on their well-being, self-respect and dignity. It compromises their ability to eat meals and communicate clearly as well as their long-term recovery. We feel that this programme can make a significant difference to the quality of care which our patients receive, and we are happy to be able to be part of this project.”
Our Special Care Dentistry team is delighted to be implementing the Mouth Care Matters project into our hospitals, and will be rolling the programme out across both Royal Preston Hospital and Chorley District Hospital throughout 2018.