Background Admission to hospital can be harmful and distressing for people with dementia, so it is important to investigate and improve acute care provision for this patient group.

Aim To gain a better understanding of how to meet the needs of patients with dementia during episodes of acute care, and to identify areas of effective practice across England.

Method Qualitative interviews were undertaken with 42 professionals in five areas of England and opinions were gathered from a focus group of seven carers of people with dementia.

Findings Working practices to support patients with dementia and their carers vary significantly by geographical area. Many examples of effective practice were identified in terms of preventing hospital admission and improving care during hospital stays, admission and discharge from hospital, and post-discharge provision.

Conclusion Variations in working practices have resulted in a lack of consistency in the provision of and access to services for patients with dementia, as well as gaps in care provision. However, the examples of effective practice that were identified in this study could be incorporated into services to enhance the care of these patients.