The British Geriatrics Society welcomes a new report from the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) and the Patients Association which sets out a vision to reform planned specialist care over the next 10 years.
The quality of outpatient care, where patients receive specialist care without a hospital stay, is of particular relevance to older people living with multiple health conditions as they use these services more than any other patient group. We were pleased to see this report make specific recommendations regarding older people, including ensuring that the workforce has the skills needed to care for older people and highlighting the BGS frailty e-learning module.
Professor Jugdeep Dhesi, President of the BGS, said:
As the population ages, it is vital that older people have access to high quality specialist outpatient care. The BGS is pleased to see the RCP and the Patients Association promote holistic and personalised outpatient care for older people living with frailty and other long-term conditions. We particularly welcome the emphasis on ensuring the workforce has the appropriate training and skills to care for older people in an outpatient setting. We join the RCP in calling for the Government to include outpatient reform in its the upcoming 10 year Plan. Better outpatient care can enable older people to live more healthily for longer, supporting the Government's shifts from hospital to community and from sickness to prevention."