Frailty: a risky business

Frailty is now recognised as a long-term condition (Skills for Health, 2018). It is widely known that people with frailty are frequent users of acute services, but it has also been documented that this group comprises vulnerable individuals, and unnecessary hospital admissions put them at risk of harm (NHS England, 2017). The National Institute of Healthcare Research (NIHR) (2017) found that 12% of people aged over 70 years experience functional decline following a hospital stay, and long waits in emergency departments are stressful for those living with frailty, as well as increasing mortality (Theou et al, 2018). Further, multiple ward moves put frail people at risk of developing delirium (Health Improvement Scotland, 2019). As a previous hospital discharge team nurse, I witnessed some of these effects first hand, and this experience gave me a passion for the Home First agenda (Newton Europe, 2017). I am now determined to avoid unnecessary admissions for my patient group.