The BGS is pleased that the National Audit Office has produced a report on primary and community healthcare for people living with frailty, and we welcomed the opportunity to contribute to the process.
Sadly, the report makes for disheartening, although perhaps unsurprising, reading.
Older people living with frailty are being let down by our health and social care systems. We are missing opportunities to assess and diagnose frailty and to prevent disability, falls, medication related harm and unnecessary hospital admission. This results in unnecessary cost to the health and social care system as well as avoidable dependency on health services and an increased carer workload for families. This problem will only increase in the future as the population ages and the number of people living with frailty grows. We know early action to delay the onset or progression of frailty gives people greater independence for longer, reduces their need for healthcare and saves money for the NHS.
This is why it is concerning that the national approach to frailty from NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care is disjointed, with a lack of progress on commitments made in the 2019 Long Term Plan and no overall frailty strategy. The report highlights the variability across ICBs in England in the way people living with frailty are identified and supported. Recent initiatives such as the establishment of the NHS England Frailty Project Board, are welcome. But there is a long way to go to achieve consistency across the country, and currently, only a relatively small number of sites have been piloting a system-wide approach.
It is clear that with the rapid increase in the number of older people in our population, prevention and treatment of frailty must be urgently addressed if there is to be any hope of ensuring healthy ageing. This is not only vital for those living with frailty today, but for all of us into the future.
Professor Jugdeep Dhesi, BGS President, said:
The BGS welcomes this clear analysis from the NAO about the fragmented and inconsistent approach the NHS currently takes to frailty as a major long-term condition. We agree that a nation-wide strategy is needed to ensure early identification, treatment and support are available to all, regardless of where they live. We have developed resources, guidance and training to help healthcare professionals across the multidisciplinary team in all care settings. We know what works for people living with frailty and other long-term conditions associated with older age. What is needed now is a strategy and support for all systems to create age and frailty-attuned services, rather than more pilots to prove what we already know. We sincerely hope that the Government will take meaningful action on frailty, engaging with us to use the forthcoming Modern Service Framework to deliver the ambitions set out in the 10 Year Health Plan.”
