Some of Stockport NHS Foundation Trust’s community services recently received a visit from a clinical team from Singapore, who came to observe how they are improving care for people with delirium.

The Singapore clinicians spoke to members of the urgent community response, virtual ward and neighbourhood advanced clinical practitioner teams about how their approach is providing earlier diagnosis and support at home, reducing hospital admissions and improving outcomes.

Delirium – a sudden and severe state of confusion – can affect people of all ages, though it is more common in older adults. Those living with dementia are at a higher risk of experiencing delirium.

If left untreated, it can lead to prolonged hospital stays, increased complications, and a greater likelihood of requiring long-term care.

With the new community approach in Stockport, 97% of patients now receive an urgent assessment within two hours from the Urgent Community Response team, with 88% of those showing signs of delirium safely supported at home, preventing hospital admission. Earlier assessment improves outcomes for these patients.  

The Singapore clinical team are learning from Stockport in the hope of bringing this successful approach back home.  

Dr Lim Jun Pei, Consultant in Geriatric Medicine at Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) in Singapore, said : “We visited Greater Manchester to see how delirium is addressed across different care settings. We were particularly interested in how various care providers work together to improve delirium detection and management, from patients’ homes all the way to hospital care.”

“We’ve had the chance to engage with a wide range of stakeholders, from people with lived experience to NHS leaders. We have been inspired by the passion and collaboration between those affected by delirium and the teams working to improve care. We are also incredibly grateful for the warm hospitality we’ve received.”