Posters

Background Resistance exercise is an effective, but often suboptimally delivered therapy for sarcopenia and physical frailty in older people. The Benchmarking Exercise Programme for Older People (BEPOP) is a UK-wide quality improvement initiative that uses benchmarking and feedback to improve the quality of exercise delivery by physiotherapy services. We present results from wave 2 of BEPOP data collection. Methods NHS physiotherapy services across the UK submitted anonymised details for up to 20 consecutive patients referred for sarcopenia or frailty-related reasons. Data included sarcopenia

Introduction; Occupational Therapists (OT) play a vital role in the rehabilitation of older people with hip fractures. However a Sheffield Teaching Hospitals 2024 review showed that OT's were spending a significant amount of time completing discharge related admin, reducing face to face contact and opportunities for rehabilitation. Introduction of the care transfer hub (CTH) to a hip fracture ward in December 2024 was taken as an opportunity to reduce OT discharge administrative duties and re-establish the role of OT's in line with university training, core principles of the profession and job

Background A multi-disciplinary team (MDT) approach underpins patient care in a Geriatrics department. Occupational therapy, physiotherapy and discharge teams play a vital role in optimising the patients' functional independence and facilitating safe discharges. Discussions within the MDT often involve use of specialised terms and shorthand to clearly communicate patient progress. As a result, for doctors rotating through the specialty with minimal previous exposure, the MDT discussions can be difficult to follow. Aim To improve the clarity and accessibility of MDT discussions for rotating

Introduction Delirium is a medical emergency characterized by a recent (within hours or days) changing or fluctuating course of confusion. It manifests through altered arousal, inattention, and disordered thinking. Delirium had significant short- and long-term adverse clinical outcomes including extended length of stay, increased inpatient complications, elevated all-cause mortality, and reduced survival rates.(1) In January 2023, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) revised its delirium guidelines, endorsing the 4AT as the preferred assessment tool for detecting

Introduction Increasing numbers of patients live with both frailty and cancer, highlights highlighting the need for onco-geriatric services. Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) of older oncology patients increases QoL and treatment tolerance. Recent guidance from British Geriatrics Society stresses the importance of frailty assessment to identify and optimise frailty related issues, alongside collaborative decision-making with patients. Methods OACOS was created at a District General Hospital in Somerset to identify and medically optimise frail patients in whom the treating oncologist had

Introduction Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) should be considered in all older patients with a cancer diagnosis. Initial frailty screening may highlight those who would benefit most from CGA to optimise their health through radical treatment. The G8 score assesses multiple domains and has been validated in oncology patients: lower scores indicate frailty. In contrast the CFS is not specifically targeted at cancer patients and is often unfamiliar to oncologists. OACOS does not currently utilise the G8 or CFS in its referral criteria; oncologists refer based on concerns for patients

Introduction Falls are a major health concern for older adults. Dual-task (DT) training, which integrates cognitive and physical exercises, has shown greater benefits for balance and mobility than physical training alone. This study evaluated the acceptability of a blended DT training programme, combining supervised and self-directed components, and delivered via a mobile application for older adults with a history of falls. Methods Community-dwelling older adults aged 65+ with ≥2 falls in the past year were recruited. Participants completed the DT programme using the Peak Brain Training app

Introduction Polypharmacy, defined as the use of five or more medications, is common in older adults due to multiple chronic conditions. While often necessary, it is associated with adverse drug reactions, prescribing errors, and preventable hospitalisations. Medication review at admission is essential, particularly in frail patients, to identify inappropriate prescriptions and opportunities for deprescribing. Methods A retrospective audit was conducted on 30 patients aged ≥65 years, admitted to a geriatrics ward for less than one month. Data were collected from electronic health and GP

Aim: Older adults living with dementia occupy approximately one quarter of acute hospital beds in England. The risk of hospital readmission within six months of discharge increases with comorbidities, reduced mobility, and limited interdisciplinary collaboration across care sectors. Subsequently, hospital readmission can increase the risk of mortality in this population. This study aimed to quantify the clinical determinants of readmission and mortality in older adults with dementia in England. Method: A retrospective cohort study was conducted using anonymised data from adults in England with

Improving bone health assessment in a geriatrics centre: Natalie Maria Jones IMT3 Introduction: The National Osteoporosis Guideline Group (NOGG) quotes that one in five men and one in two women will experience a fragility fracture in their lifetime. The cost of fragility fractures to the NHS in 2019, exceeded £4 billion (1). An important and often overlooked aspect of falls assessment is that of osteoporosis detection and treatment. This project aimed to improve % of patients receiving a bone health assessment within a tertiary geriatric unit to 100% by September 2025. Method: The project took

Background Use of anticholinergic medication is increasing, especially among the older population due to polypharmacy and co-morbidities. High anticholinergic burden is associated with adverse effects such as reduced mobility and future dementia risk. Acute hospital stay may be an appropriate time to target this commonly overlooked problem. Aims To explore the effects of deprescribing medications with anticholinergic burden on health outcomes of hospitalised older people. Method Medline, Web of Science, Cochrane Library and Embase were searched for relevant papers from database inception to

Background Dementia is a syndrome of chronic progressive degeneration of the brain. Dementia causes reduced ability to self-feed due to problems with: swallow, apraxia and visuospatial dysfunction. Malnutrition in dementia patients is associated with delirium, longer admissions and functional decline. Aim To improve food intake in patients with dementia by 25% through the introduction of high-contrast coloured crockery on a Care of the Elderly ward. Methods Food charts were used on Care of the Elderly wards to assess food intake. In Cycle 1, coloured plates were introduced on Ward A, with pre

Abstract title : Clinical Leadership in Pathways using Care Providers: Improving Flow, Experience, and Efficiency for Frail Older Adults Introduction: Frail older adults are often discharged from hospital with complex needs into community care services. Without senior clinical oversight, many experience fragmented care, delayed reviews, inappropriate care planning, and avoidable readmissions. This project evaluated the impact of introducing clinical leadership into a care provider pathway designed to deliver short-term, post-discharge domiciliary care. Methods: Over 11 weeks, 51 patients were

Thinking about the future: a QI project to educate and improve the understanding of advance care planning in the AMU. A Fisher; C Bruce; M Leyton; M Rainbow; J Evans Acute Medical Unit; Torbay Hospital; Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust Introduction: Advance care planning (ACP) allows patients with serious illness or deteriorating health to discuss future care preferences, supporting a more holistic, patient-centred approach. However, public awareness of ACP remains low and is cited as a key barrier to its uptake in clinical practice. A 2014 audit by the Royal College of Physicians

Thinking about the future: a QI project to educate and improve the understanding of advance care planning in the AMU. A Fisher; C Bruce; M Leyton; M Rainbow; J Evans Acute Medical Unit; Torbay Hospital; Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust Introduction: Advance care planning (ACP) allows patients with serious illness or deteriorating health to discuss future care preferences, supporting a more holistic, patient-centred approach. However, public awareness of ACP remains low and is cited as a key barrier to its uptake in clinical practice. A 2014 audit by the Royal College of Physicians

Background: Hip fractures represent a significant global health burden, leading to substantial morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. Delays in surgical intervention are consistently linked to poorer patient outcomes. This audit aimed to evaluate and enhance hip fracture management at Southampton General Hospital (SGH) through targeted quality improvement initiatives. Methods: An interventional clinical audit was conducted at SGH, a Major Trauma Centre, comparing a pre-intervention period (December 2023 – March 2024; n=272 patients) with a post-intervention period (September 2024 –

Introduction: An accurate stool chart is crucial to the care of older patients. Monitoring of bowels movements can help to avoid complications such as constipation, urinary retention, delirium, faecal impaction, diarrhoea, dehydration and AKI which all can lead to extended hospital admissions and deconditioning. Clear recording of bowel movements might allow the medical team to recognise the problem and promptly take action. Our project aimed to increase the accuracy of stool chart documentation on geriatric medicine wards, promoting earlier recognition of these complications. Methods: Initial

Introduction Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common and fastest-growing neurodegenerative condition globally. Many older adults with PD reside in care homes, where staff may lack the necessary training to manage the condition effectively. This scoping review aimed to examine the evidence on education and training interventions for care home staff in relation to PD care. Method A scoping review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA-ScR framework. Six databases were searched for empirical studies focused on PD-related training or education for care home staff. Inclusion

Introduction: The British Geriatric Society has been a forerunner in describing the potential benefits of a comprehensive geriatric assessment and advance care planning for all patients and focusing on wellbeing strategies for this vulnerable patient group. QIP project was undertaken with the aim to look at the fast track discharges and advance care planning documentation in accordance with the EOL care strategy 2008. Through reviews of individual cases, it is thought that advance care plans (with recognition and interventions for patients thought to be in their last year of life) would

Background The study was set in a 15-bed older adult psychiatry ward. Staff involved were doctors, ward manager, nurses and nursing associates. Introduction Overall pain assessment was poor due to the under-recognised importance of recording pain. The aim of this quality improvement project was to implement strategies to improve rates of pain assessment and assess for effective change. Methods An initial review of patient records was done prior to intervention, recording when a pain assessment template used by the trust (Abbey pain scale) was documented using the following criteria: 1. within