A hospital trust is running a three-month trial of identifiable blue wristbands for dementia patients to help staff to better support them.

Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs King George hospital in Ilford and Queen’s hospital in Romford, launched the trial on Friday, November 1.

It will run initially on one ward at each of the trust’s sites, Queen’s and King George hospitals.

Gary Etheridge, one of the trust’s directors of nursing, said: “This will help us to immediately recognise patients living with dementia so we can ensure they receive the best possible care during their stay in our hospitals.”

The blue wristbands will be worn instead of standard white hospital wristbands; patients and their families will be able to chose whether to wear one.

The trial will run alongside the trust’s other initiative to better support dementia patients, the Butterfly Scheme, where a blue butterfly is displayed above a patient’s bed, signalling they have dementia.

Alina Stevens, from the trust’s dementia team, added: “The best thing about these bands is that they will travel with patients, where a butterfly above a bed doesn’t. If patients need to go to other departments for tests or treatment, the wristband will signify to other colleagues that they may need some additional support.

“We regularly run coffee afternoon for carers of people with dementia where we have discussed this new trial, and we’ve received great feedback about how it will benefit their loved ones.”