Focused Interventions Training and Support (FITS) into dementia practice: a programme all healthcare professionals must be aware of. Journal of Healthcare Communications

Focussed Interventions Training and Support (FITS) into dementia practice is an evidence-based programme targeting the inappropriate prescription of anti-psychotic medication to manage behaviour problems in people suffering with dementia and living in care/residential homes. Effective patient centred approaches and use of evidence based psychosocial interventions have been proven to reduce the careless prescription of such drugs. Anti-psychotics are widely used to manage behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) such as untreated delirium, untreated pain, poor nutrition and hydration, boredom and unmet emotional needs. At least one out of five people with dementia in the UK alone have been prescribed antipsychotic medication without benefit, consequently leading to a rise in the number of deaths per year. The need for an alternative to the readily accepted medical intervention has been heavily emphasized in recent literature. Current and ongoing efforts, such as those by the University of Worcester, acutely focus on training and preparing a healthcare work force who should feel confident to influence the reduction or ready or cessation of the use of anti-psychotics in managing BPSD. Those in training must successfully complete 10 face-to-face taught session and five support sessions in order to become become dementia care coaches. Training and supervision are delivered by a qualified dementia practice development coach. What sets FITS apart from other dementia training programmes begs continuous exploration and analysis. However, it would that the element of supervized implementation makes it more robust in comparison.