24.04.12
New frailty assessment toolkit published
The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) has published a new toolkit to improve conditions for frail elderly patients.
Produced in collaboration with the British Geriatrics Society, the 6-page toolkit recommends procedures for both initial and comprehensive assessment.
Elderly patients can be difficult to assess due to the presence of multiple symptoms or conditions. As frailty issues are so common in the AMU (acute medical unit), the toolkit suggests a need for a lead clinician to be based there to focus solely on these issues.
The kit recommends that doctors talk to carers or relatives as well as the patient to gain a fuller understanding of the care they are receiving. Additionally they should assess the patient’s mental health, social circumstances and capacity to carry out daily activities and exercise.
The toolkit recommends domains for assessment, models of care and a whole systems approach across primary and secondary care, and health and social care interfaces.
Dr Mark Temple, RCP acute care fellow, said: “Older people are more likely to have an emergency medical admission and stay longer in hospital. This toolkit is important as it focuses on the assessment of acutely ill older patients and getting this right can have an enormous impact on the quality of care and patient outcomes.”
Lead author Dr Simon Conroy said: “Holistic assessments in the acute medical unit will improve patient outcomes and service efficiency.”
Dr Varo Kirthi, RCP clinical fellow to the president, said: “This latest toolkit contains useful education and descriptions of common ‘frailty syndromes’, which will assist doctors of all grades in providing the comprehensive assessment and treatment these patients require in the AMU.”
The toolkit is available to download from www.rcplondon.ac.uk
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