NHS Fife: getting it right for our most vulnerable patients

Contemporising the concept of frailty

Scott McLean commented:

“History shows us there is always “ the next big thing”. Frailty doesn’t feel like that. It is really important that the concept of frailty becomes mainstream, although not so mainstream that we become complacent about it. Managing frailty will always be a challenge but we are making good progress here in Fife.

This improvement work has changed the way we do business. If we trust and respond to the evidence-base we cannot help but improve patient outcomes. It is encouraging to hear speciality doctors and surgeons talking about frailty in a way that they never would have done about geriatrics. In a modernised healthcare system, it is not about young or old, it is about what is right for individual patients. The concept of frailty is starting to contemporise and patients are benefiting as a result.”