Introduction Medications with anticholinergic burden are associated with falls and cognitive decline in elderly. About 30% of people aged 65 years and over in the UK have a fall at least once each year, increasing to 50% at the age of 80 and over. Method The last 100 patients admitted to the Frailty unit with falls were identified and Anticholinergic Burden (ACB) scores calculated on admission and at discharge. Patients were defined as having a positive (ACB≥1) or negative (ACB=0) ACB score. Drugs responsible for ACB score were identified and medication changes assessed. Results 75 out of 100
Introduction: With an ageing population, identifying frailty aids reduction of adverse postoperative outcomes. Centre for Perioperative Care - British Geriatrics Society ‘Care for People Living with Frailty’ guidelines state all patients aged >65 should have a documented Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) score at pre-operative assessment. If CFS≥5, cognitive assessment should be documented and Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment performed. This audit aimed to assess frailty documentation at pre-operative anaesthetic assessment to support introduction of a specialist perioperative frailty pathway
Introduction Delirium is a recognised complication of emergency surgery and is associated with unfavourable clinical outcomes. Previous work has suggested that delirium is under-diagnosed. Here we describe risk factors for, and the clinical impact of delirium in an older-adult emergency laparotomy cohort. Methods Routinely collected data on emergency laparotomy patients ≥ 65 years admitted to The Grange University Hospital from November 2021 to April 2025 were included. Delirium was scored prospectively using the 4-AT score. Frailty was defined as Clinical Frailty Score (CFS) ≥ 5. Analysis was
Introduction Head and Neck surgery is complex, often requiring prolonged anaesthesia and careful postoperative care to ensure good functional recovery. The surgical pathway can be challenging for older patients living with frailty, who have longer inpatient stays and higher rates of postoperative complications and mortality. We have developed a new Geriatrician led service within the Head and Neck surgical pathway, which started in July 2024. This consists of a multidisciplinary outpatient preassessment clinic (geriatrician, anaesthetist and clinical nurse specialist) and weekly ward round
Introduction The perioperative journey for People with Parkinson's is a high-risk period. The current lack of unified guidance often leads to inconsistent care and unmet patient needs, despite advancements in Parkinson's disease (PD) diagnosis and long-term management. To address this gap, this qualitative study aimed to explore the lived experiences of people with Parkinson's undergoing surgery to inform our clinical guidelines for perioperative PD care that are currently under development. Methods Four patients, recruited from the Parkinson’s UK Patient Network, participated in the study
Introduction Reducing the time people wait for elective care is one of NHS England’s priorities. [1] It is projected that by 2030 there will be 1.4million Londoners aged over 65 [2] and increasing numbers of older people are undergoing surgery. [3] Frailty is a significant risk factor for surgical complications. [4] , [5] Non-electiveOrthogeriatrics is well established, this is not the case for elective orthogeriatrics or indeed other specialities The Centre for Perioperative Care (CPOC) and the British Geriatric Society developed evidence-based guidelines on perioperative care for people