All Scotland’s NHS boards confirmed to have frailty teams in A&E

Specialist frailty teams have been established in accident and emergency departments in all health boards across Scotland, the Government has confirmed.

Health Secretary Neil Gray said these new services were “about making sure people get the right care, in the right place, at the right time”.

Frailty teams provide specialist, multi-disciplinary assessment and care for older patients, with the aim of helping them be discharged earlier, reducing delays and shortening hospital stays.

And it is hoped their expansion – funded from the £200 million earmarked for tackling waiting times and reducing delayed discharges in this year’s Scottish budget – will held reduce waits for NHS treatment.

Mr Gray saw first-hand the work of such services during a visit to  Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary.

The service, at the Dumfries hospital, has resulted in an average length of stay for those admitted via the acute frailty unit of just 3.4 days – with this compared to an average 17.5 day hospital stay for older patients.

This has been achieved with no increase in re-admission, and the two thirds of patients admitted via the frailty unit have been able to be discharged directly home, instead of having to go to a care home.

Nicole Hamlet, the chief operating officer of NHS Dumfries and Galloway, said that the work “is making a real and measurable difference”.

She stated: “By reducing unnecessary time in hospital, we’re helping people get home or to a homely setting safely and sooner.

“It also frees up vital capacity in the hospital, which helps us deliver better care across the board. I’m very proud of what the team has achieved.”

And Mr Gray said: “The success of the frailty service here in Dumfries and Galloway is something we are replicating across Scotland.

“By shifting the balance of care from acute hospitals to community-based services, we can ensure that people experiencing frailty are supported earlier – whether through GP referral or direct access via the Scottish Ambulance Service.

“This is about making sure people get the right care, in the right place, at the right time.

“The work being done here is making a real difference, particularly for older patients, with average length of stay reduced by 14 days and no increase in re-admissions.”

His comments came as he stressed that “improving patient flow” through hospitals is a “key priority”, with the Health Secretary stating: “Services like this show how targeted, well-coordinated care can lead to better outcomes.”