Posters for 2025 Spring Meeting

Introduction The Commissioning for Quality and Innovation (CQUIN) framework sets a 10% minimum and an ideal goal of 30% of acutely presenting patients over the age of 65 to receive frailty assessment scores. Early recognition of frailty helps mitigate risks such as deconditioning. This project aims to assess and improve the adoption of this standard in medical emergency admissions of a Birmingham district general hospital by working with medical admissions teams and frailty services and observing for associated outcome measures. Methodology PDSA methodology was used. Data was retrospectively

Introduction Older people can commonly experience reduced appetite and it can be assessed very simply by questionnaires such as the Simplified Nutritional Appetite Questionnaire (SNAQ). Decreased appetite is associated with sarcopenia and frailty, which in turn are related to falls. The aim is to assess if screening for poor appetite might aid in predicting risk of future falls by exploring association between appetite score and falls at three and six months in older people with upper limb fracture. Methods A secondary data analysis. Baseline appetite was assessed using the SNAQ, with score

About 73% of people living with osteoarthritis are older than 55 years. Osteoarthritis can greatly reduce the quality of life. While surgical interventions (including joint replacement) present one approach to advanced and disabling osteoarthritis, non-surgical interventions help people living with the condition to manage pain and maintain optimal levels of functioning. Pharmacological options should be used in combination with non-pharmacological measures at the lowest effective dose for the shortest period of time possible. Lidocaine 5% plasters are used off license in clinical practice to

Introduction Delirium complicates 10% of admissions. A delay in diagnosis can lead to permanent cognitive decline, care home placement and death. Watford General Hospital’s (WGH) delirium liaison service receives fewer referrals than expected from areas with vulnerable patients such as ITU. This audit sought to understand why and what effect this might have on outcomes. Method The audit team reviewed notes for all >75-years-old in WGH on a single day, looking for delirium risk factors, evidence of delirium and, if present, a diagnosis and management plan. Outcomes were reviewed at 90 days

Introduction: Following the publication of ‘Call to action: A Five nations consensus on the use of intravenous zoledronate after hip fracture,’ Craigavon Area Hospital began offering IV Zoledronic acid (IV Zol) to patients with a fragility neck of femur (NOF) fracture. However, the administration of IV Zol is based on the bone health assessment, vitamin D level, and requires ongoing post-discharge care. An oral bisphosphonate should be started one year after IV Zol administration. This study aimed to analyse whether discharges from Craigavon Area hospital following a NOF fracture had clear

Background: Ireland has the highest rates of loneliness among EU countries, with those aged 80+ particularly vulnerable. Loneliness is a significant risk factor for various negative health outcomes. To address this, the Loneliness Research Network (LTRN) was established in November 2022 to ensure policy recommendations from Ireland’s national Loneliness Taskforce are informed by robust research. The LTRN’s first initiative aimed to identify research priorities, particularly in gerontology, to guide the future of loneliness research in Ireland. Method: The study was conducted in two phases

Introduction Delirium is a common, reversible condition with significant morbidity. Guidelines facilitate diagnosis and management (NICE Delirium Guidelines [CG103]). Previous audits in an acute frailty ward identified areas for improvement in assessment of delirium. In this cycle, a novel admission proforma was implemented to promote adherence to current guidelines. Methods This is a continuation of a previous quality improvement project representing cycles three and four. An admission proforma was co-developed with patients and the multidisciplinary team (MDT), primarily to prompt staff to

Title: Unseen Spine: A Case of Infective Discitis masked by diverticulitis in older patient Introduction: Spinal infections include vertebral osteomyelitis, septic discitis, facet joint septic arthritis, and spinal epidural abscesses. The common presentation usually involves back pain, fever, and elevated inflammatory markers, with signs of neurological deficits implying presence of spinal epidural abscess. Spinal infections are infrequent (0.2–3.7 per 100,000 hospital admissions for spondylodiscitis), with relatively higher incidence in elderly patients. Case presentation: We present a case

Introduction: Frailty is a clinically recognized condition characterized by increased vulnerability due to age-related decline across various physiological systems, leading to reduced ability to cope with daily and acute stressors . Managing frailty requires a person-centred approach, involving patients, families, and caregivers, and utilizing evidence-based practices such as Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA), delivered by specialist multidisciplinary (MDT) teams. Research indicates that older individuals receiving CGA are more likely to be alive and living independently at home six

Background: Falls in people with dementia often result in physical and psychological impacts, reducing independence and increasing healthcare costs. Falls place a significant economic burden on the healthcare system. Although individuals with dementia face a heightened risk of falling, there is limited evidence supporting effective home-based interventions for this population. Methods: A mixed-methods process evaluation was embedded within a pilot cluster randomised controlled trial, guided by a realist framework. The evaluation was conducted across six UK sites (three intervention, three

Introduction We recruited older adults with advanced Idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (IPD) to better understand their symptom burden and its impact on quality of life (QoL) in the predominately rural area of North Cumbria. Methods Records were taken from an IPD prevalence study. Those identified with advanced IPD, defined by Hoehn & Yahr stage 4 or 5, were invited to participate, consultee was contacted for those unable to consent. Quantitative data were collected using validated questionnaires. These included the Movement Disorder Society Non-Motor Symptoms (NMS) Questionnaire and the

Introduction: An acute hospital-regional nursing home service (EAGLEcare ACT) were established with an aim to reduce preventable emergency department visit and inpatient hospitalisations of nursing home residents. We aim to explore the experiences of nursing home nurses using the service. Method: Ten focus group discussions were conducted in six partnering nursing homes. A total of 57 nursing home nurses with an average of 4.9 years of working experience participated in the discussions. Transcripts were analysed using qualitative interview analysis. Results: Three main themes emerged

Background: The National Clinical Guideline for Stroke recommends bone health assessment for patients at higher risk of falls. Following stroke, patients have reduced bone mineral density, correlated with functional deficit. Stroke can result in reduced mobility, asymmetric weight bearing, poor nutrition and impaired Vitamin D stores. This results in higher risk of fragility fracture. However, bone health is often overlooked. An initial review on a stroke rehabilitation unit in March 2024 found no bone health assessment process. Objectives: Patients with stroke and high risk of fragility

Introduction The timely administration of Parkinson’s Disease (PD) medications is essential for better motor symptom control, leading to improved patient outcomes. The NICE Guidelines and Parkinson’s UK recommend all hospital in-patients with PD should get their PD medications on time – within 30 minutes of their prescribed administration time. This audit aimed to assess the adherence of timely administration of PD medications amongst in-patients at South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust, and to compare this pre- and post-interventions. Methods A two-cycle retrospective audit was

Introduction: Polypharmacy, multimorbidity, and frailty are closely interlinked. The STOPPFrail (Screening Tool of Older Person’s Prescriptions) criteria offer a structured approach to identifying potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) in very frail older adults with limited life expectancy. This study evaluates the application of these criteria before and after admission to a specialist geriatric ward in a tertiary care hospital. Methodology: Medications were assessed against the STOPPFrail (Version 2) criteria before and after admission. Patients aged ≥65 years were included if they

Introduction Gait speed, often referred to as the 'sixth vital sign,' is an important health indicator in older adults, predicting morbidity and functional status. This study evaluated GaitKeeper, a novel artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled mobile technology that integrates augmented reality (AR). GaitKeeper is designed to standardise the measurement of gait speed and address inconsistencies commonly encountered in traditional clinical settings due to varied assessment techniques. Methods This study was conducted in two phases to validate GaitKeeper against Vicon and GaitRite, two established

Title: An overview of the Dementia UK Consultant Admiral Nurse service supporting families affected by frailty and dementia Authors: K Lyons1. Provenances: 1. Dementia UK Introduction: Emerging and increasing frailty often goes unidentified, and families living with dementia and frailty are missing vital opportunities to receive the right support at the right time. People living with frailty are less able to adapt to stress factors such as acute illness, injury, or changes in their environment, personal or social circumstances, leading to adverse health outcomes and an earlier loss of

Introduction: World Guidelines for Falls Prevention & Management for Older Adults[1] recommends medication review as part of multifactorial risk assessment for those at high risk of falling. Use of Falls Risk Increasing Drugs (FRIDs) [2], polypharmacy and anticholinergic burden are known to increase risk of falls in older people [3]. This prospective observational study was conducted to assess if polypharmacy, prescription of FRIDs and anticholinergic burden [4] improve after hospitalisation with a fall. Method: Data gathered from electronic medication records once necessary ethical approvals

Introduction . DVT is a common complication post stroke. Clinically evident DVT can occur in 2-10% after an acute stroke. DVT can develop as early as Day 2 after acute stroke; Risk peaks between Days 2 and 7. Untreated proximal DVT has a 6-15% mortality risk. Intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) of the legs is recommended to reduce the risk of DVT in non-ambulatory stroke patients. Methods Criteria = All new stroke admissions to Stroke ward should have IPC applied by the time they were seen by the consultant on the post-take ward round – Unless contraindicated. Initial Audit = 100

Background: The Gold Standard Framework (GSF) was first introduced to General Practice in 2000. It is recognised a third of hospital inpatients may be in their last year of life and over the past 25 years there has been evidence to show the GSF reduces hospitalisation and allows more people to live and die in their preferred place of care. Teams undertaking GSF find admissions and lengths of stay are significantly reduced. Our inpatient ward did not have processes to identify those appropriate for the GSF therefore a process to identify and code patients for the community to follow up on