Clinical audit of hip fractures 120-day follow-up
Introduction NICE CG124 recommends that Hip Fracture Programmes should have responsibility for the whole pathway of patients’ recovery. Contacting patients at 120-days provides an ideal opportunity to examine how many of them are still on treatment and to offer support to those who are having problems. National Hip Fracture Database (NHFD) 120-day follow-up was introduced in patient’s electronic patient record (EPR) in December 2023. Methods All local hospital’s NHFD hip fracture patients (173) who have completed 120-day telephone clinic follow-up in year 2024 were included for data collection
Service review of hip fractures: predicting mortality, mobility, length of stay, and discharge destination
Introduction In 2023, the average acute length of stay in the local hospital=23 days (national=16.0), 30-day mortality post hip fracture=6.6% (5.4%), prompt mobilisation=78% (81%) and return to original residence= 72% (74%). Nottingham Hip Fracture Score (NHFS) is most widely studied hip fracture risk stratification system especially in the UK, positively correlated with clinical frailty score (CFS), and is a simple tool to utilise on hip fracture admissions. High-risk identification distinguishes preoperative factors that are linked to clinical adverse outcomes after hip fracture surgery for
Improving Adherence to the High Sensitivity Troponin (hs-cTn) Rule In/Out Algorithm for NSTEMI Diagnosis
Reducing Delays in TR Band Removal After Coronary Angiography: A Quality Improvement Approach
Addressing the Care And Support Needs of Older Adults: Panacea to Healthy Ageing During the Climate Crisis: A Scoping Review
Objectives: The review explores existing evidence to assess the care and support available to address climate change's health impact on the vulnerable communities dwelling older adults. Method: The review followed Arksey and O'Malley's framework for scoping reviews, and we searched 5 major databases: Web of Science, CINAHL, Scopus, PubMed, and EBSCOhost. All articles focused on older adults and climate change published in English were included without any restrictions on study design. A total of 29 studies met the criteria for review out of the initial 568 related articles. The final selected
Quality Improvement Project on Collateral History Taking for Geriatric Patients at a District General Hospital in South Wales
Improving documentation, communication and efficiencies of administrative processes after a patient death on an acute hospital
Introduction: Timely completion of the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD) is essential for legal reasons, to support grieving families, and to allow funeral arrangements to be made. On the acute geriatric ward, delays in tasks related to patient death and poor documentation were observed. It was hypothesised this was related to unclear responsibilities, lack of continuity in following up Procurator Fiscal (PF) referrals, and variable confidence in certifying death. Method: This quality improvement (QI) project was conducted from November 2024 to April 2025. Baseline data identified
GeriSimCymru Development of and feedback from a novel geriatric medicine simulation course
Introduction Geriatric medicine requires a unique set of clinical and non-technical skills, including advanced communication skills, multi-disciplinary team management, balancing risks and benefit of treatment in complex multimorbid patients, and a focus on holistic person-centred care. Current simulation courses often focus on acute emergencies but lack the nuance and complexity of geriatric medicine. We describe the development of and feedback from a novel Geriatric Medicine Simulation Course in Wales. Methods The course was designed by a small team of geriatric medicine specialty registrars
Respect the ReSPECT: An audit on use of ReSPECT forms across ageing and health wards
Improving accuracy of bowel charts: a quality improvement project
Introduction: Bowel charts can help detect changes in bowel habit, especially in patients with complex medical needs or limited communication abilities. Early recognition of constipation may prevent delirium, whereas recognising diarrhoea can prevent breakdown/infection of sores. SSKIN bundles, containing insufficient data on stool type/size, are sometimes used alongside bowel charts, leading to discrepancies. We aimed to improve accuracy of bowel charts over a 3-month period. Method: 10 patients from the Department of Medicine for the Elderly ward were randomly selected weekly for 6 weeks
An Audit on Trust Guidelines Compliance on Management of Urinary Tract Infections in Over 65s
Introduction: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the second most common community-acquired infection and the leading cause of hospital infections in individuals over 65 years. UTI treatment is a major driver of antibiotic resistance (AMR), with E. coli being the primary pathogen causing this in the UK. Further, asymptomatic bacteremia is common in over 65s and does not lead to increased morbidity. However, unnecessary antibiotic exposure increases the risk of harm, including AMR and C.difficile infection, contributing to the rising AMR-related mortality. Method: This study aimed to assess
‘What are we going to do about the catheter?’ Our team’s way of starting the discussion.
Introduction: The cornerstone of catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) prevention is avoiding unnecessary indwelling urinary catheter (IUC) insertion [1]. As part of a long-term project to reduce the number of catheters, the most common inserted device used across MOE wards in our hospital, we recently undertook a project to improve planning (does it need to stay, can we remove it?) and the reliability of information reconciliation around their use. Methods: We designed a data collection tool, analysing key aspects of IUC care, measured our performance at least twice-yearly using
POPS In The Southwest Scotland Vascular Network – Evaluation Of A New Service
Anticholinergic burden in geriatric inpatients: a comparison of anticholinergic burden scores on admission and as an inpatient.
Co-designing physical activity interventions for older adults with frailty: Insights from a qualitative study in retirement village
Frailty Record Keeping at Tiree Medical Practice: A Quality Improvement Project
Introduction Patients with frailty at Tiree Medical Practice (TMP) are identified and managed by a Multi-Disciplinary Team. That team also provide out of hours and emergency care on the island meaning quick access to patient information is essential. The aim of this project was to improve frailty record keeping at TMP. It was intended that by 30 April 2025, a full Frailty Record (FR) would be held for at least 90% of patients identified as having frailty. The process of determining the parameters of the FR was dynamic but the final definition was an entry containing: Identifying details
Quality Improvement Project : Enhancing Stroke Unit Ward Round Documentations in a Large District Hospital
Improving Collateral History Acquisition in Geriatric Medicine
Prevalence and Perioperative Incidence of Atrial fibrillation in older Hip Fracture Patients
Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common cardiac arrhythmia, particularly among older patients. Its presence in patients undergoing hip fracture surgery can complicate perioperative management and is associated with increased morbidity. Evaluating both pre-existing and new-onset AF in this population can guide more targeted interventions, vigilance and improve patient outcomes. Objective: To analyze the prevalence of pre-existing AF and the incidence of new-onset perioperative AF among older patients undergoing surgery for hip fractures. Method: A retrospective analysis of patients