The aim of the project was to improve quality and performance across frail elderly services and the frail elderly pathway, whilst shifting care from an acute to a community environment.

This involved crating a service strategy for frail elderly care was produced in conjunction with key stakeholders, communicated simply through a “strategy on a page”, highlighting key aims of shifting care to the community whilst improving acute care quality.

What We did

  • Rapid access elderly care clinics, through consultant job review, supporting admission avoidance.

  • Nurse-led falls clinics and community IV therapy provision.

  • Launch of a dementia steering group and specialist dementia nurses.

  • Implementation of an early supportive discharge service and discharge “clearing house”.

  • Joint geriatric/ psychiatry clinics for holistic cognitive assessment and treatment of elderly patients.

  • The strategy and implementation were supported through reviewed governance, workforce and performance structures.

Outcomes

  • Improved patient experience sustained at over 91% for all elderly care wards.

  • Rapid access to specialist elderly assessment and treatment, reducing falls and adverse incidents.

  • Reduction in average length of stay by around 7 day.

  • Reduction in unnecessary A&E attendances and admissions.

  • 10% reduction in occupied bed days.

  • 5% increase in monthly discharges.

  • 30% reduction in nursing spend due to reduced sickness and cover required.