NHS Fife: getting it right for our most vulnerable patients

Recognising and Responding to Frailty

NHS Fife Chief Operating Officer, Scott McLean explained:

“At any one time between 50% and 70% of our patients have frailty syndromes. These are not just older patients – we see some 90-year olds who are healthier and fitter than some 50-year olds. Frailty is a syndrome or set of syndromes that are not exclusively linked to ageing, although a high proportion of frail patients are over the age of 65. It is crucial that we do whatever we can to minimise the time frail patients spend in hospital to avoid doing them harm. This means not waiting until they fall or become confused before intervening.”

^{Left to right: Jodie Kirk (OT), Louise Kellichan (Team Lead) and Joy Reid (Nurse Consultant)}