MONDAY, 8 OCTOBER, 2018

Photographs attached: 1 – Gemma Bain (second left) with staff and residents at Craigie House, 2 – Gemma Bain (second left) with staff and residents at Redwood Care Home

Tayside Oral Health Award for Dundee care homes

Two Dundee care homes have been awarded the Tayside Oral Health Award by NHS Tayside. 

Craigie House in Craigiebarns and Redwood Care Home in Broughty Ferry were both presented with the award, which was developed by the NHS Tayside Oral Health Improvement Team to encourage homes to include new oral health standards as part of the residents’ care package. The award also incorporates the national Caring for Smiles Training tool.

NHS Tayside oral health co-ordinator Carrie Phillips said, “We have been working across Tayside to encourage care homes to get involved and receive acknowledgment for the standard of mouth care for their residents. This is a great accolade and demonstrates the high standards of care available in care homes.”

The project was introduced to help increase the profile of oral health within Tayside care homes. Dental health support worker Gemma Bain, who covers all care homes in Dundee, added, “The staff in Craigie House and Redwood Care Home have worked extremely hard over the past few months to meet the criteria. I look forward to working with other Dundee care homes to encourage participation and promote oral health issues.”

The award criteria include:

• Developing an oral health policy for the home

• Developing individual resident oral care plans

• Mouth checks within one week of admission

• Ensuring residents have appropriate toothpaste and toothbrush

• Ensure, where appropriate, residents’ dentures are named and they have denture boxes

• At least 75% of staff receiving specific oral health training

Contact:

Louise Wilson

NHS Tayside Communications, (01382) 740718