Posters

Introduction Hospital-acquired deconditioning (HAD) leads to functional decline, extended hospital stays, increased fall risk, and higher readmission rates, resulting in a significant cost burden on the NHS. Preventing HAD through early and regular physical rehabilitation is crucial for improving patient outcomes and reducing healthcare costs. This Quality improvement project , conducted in a ward, aimed to evaluate and enhance the implementation and effectiveness of physical rehabilitation programs to prevent HAD. Method The project began with administering questionnaires to both staff and

Background: OPAL Team cares for elderly patients arriving at hospital front door. 80% of referrals to OPAL team are related to Falls. Early assessment and intervention reduce future risk of falls improving health outcomes. OPAL assessment proforma used for falls assessment varies widely depending on local resources. In our trust Multifactorial risk assessment (MFRA) is included in OPAL proforma to assess any patient presenting with a fall or has had two or more falls in the past six months or needs hospitalisation due to fall. Our MFRA includes assessment of Vision, Continence, Cognition

Introduction Stair falls cause approximately 230,000 injuries and 500 fatalities each year (Roys, 2001). Falls cost the NHS £4.6 million every day (AgeUK, 2010), and approximately £2 billion each year (GOV.UK, 2022), with falls on stairs accounting for the majority of these costs. However, the evidence about how to reduce stair falls is unclear. The aim of this systematic review was to establish which interventions are effective or show greatest potential to improve safety on stairs and reduce falls. Methods Five databases were searched: Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed and CINAHL

Abstract Content - Introduction. When required to multitask while walking, older adults (OA) will walk slower and use maladaptive stepping strategies such as cross-steps that may increase the risk of falling. However, most studies to date have been limited to steady-state straight-line walking, which requires limited to no visual planning, which is unrepresentative of common outdoor environments. Therefore, this study aimed to (i) investigate the impact of dual-tasking during walking of complex routes, and (ii) assess if such impact can be reduced when older adults deliberately preview their

Introduction: Orthostatic hypotension is very common and increases with age, affecting about 20% of community-dwelling older adults and it increases up to 50% in long-term care units. Measuring lying and standing blood pressure (LSBP) is an important and simple bedside clinical test needed to diagnose the condition. The regulation of blood pressure depends on the baroreflexes, normal blood volume, and defenses against excessive venous pooling. These mechanisms are altered in older adults that lead to increased incidence of OH. Orthostatic hypotension leads to symptoms of dizziness, syncope

Background: Use of bisphosphonates following NOF fracture in patients over the age of 60 has extensive evidence showing up at a 50% relative reduction in fracture risk. However this is variably recorded on the immediate discharge letter (IDL) and subsequently poorly communicated to Primary Care via the emergency care summary (ECS). Aim: To review how often IV Zoledronate is used in hospital, documented in the IDL and on ECS, leading to an improvement of documentation and communication between primary and secondary/tertiary care and therefore the safer management and usage of medicines. Method

Introduction: This audit was performed by the Northumbria-Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (NHFCT) Falls and Syncope Service to inform the development of the NHFCT Integrated Falls Strategy (IFS). Method: From the opening of the Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital (NSECH) on 16/06/2015 all ED records were prospectively screened to identify the first 1000 patients aged 65 years and over that had attended with a fall. The 5-year outcome data was obtained from NHFCT electronic records. Results: Of the 1000 attends aged 65 years and over with a fall (13.7 attends daily), 55 were patients

Introduction: At Warrington hospital, a small district general, the orthogeriatric team adheres to national guidelines by conducting bone health assessments for inpatients with neck-of- femur (NOF) fractures and commencing suitable secondary prevention measures. However, there is a noticeable gap in secondary prevention for patients with non-NOF fractures requiring admission (such as tibial or humeral fractures). This predisposes patients to a future increased risk of disability, morbidity and mortality following discharge. Method: A Quality Improvement initiative was launched, introducing

Introduction The fall risk factors in older adults living in residential care homes for the elderly (RCHEs) are multifactorial. In Hong Kong, around 9.5% of RCHEs have a fall rate over 30% (Elderly Health Service, 2022)1. The objective of this survey is to identify the common fall risk factors among frequent fallers in RCHEs in biological, environmental, and behavioural domains, based on the World Health Organization (WHO)’s risk factor model for fall (World Health Organization, 2021)2. Methods 197 frequent fallers from 67 RCHEs with fall prevalence over 30% in Hong Kong were included in this

There is a 35-week waiting time to be seen in a gastroenterology clinic for investigations such as UGI endoscopy and colonoscopy for a condition such as low Hb, weight loss, dysphagia and so on. Most of the time without adequate initial workup and ruling out iron-deficient anaemia and differentials as per the British Gastroenterology Society. The hospital is witnessing an exponential influx of patients, reflecting in long waiting times to accommodate clinic patients. The current established low Hb referral pathway via GP to gastroenterologists does not consider the co-morbidities and frailty

Introduction Despite the UK’s increasing life expectancy, and increase in the elderly population, there is an overwhelming lack of Geriatricians in the UK; as of 2022, there is only 1 consultant Geriatrician per 8,031 individuals over the age of 65 (BGS, 2023). To meet the complex care needs of this population, there must be a focus on increasing the interest that doctors have towards Geriatric Medicine, with the overall aim being to recruit more doctors into the speciality. Method The aim of this review was to investigate what factors medical students perceive as barriers to pursuing a career

A 75-year-old male presented with chronic fatigue and gradually worsening generalised muscle weakness over three years. He was treated by his GP for two months for a suspected case of polymyalgia rheumatica with a two-month course of steroids, which resulted in no significant improvement. His medical history included post-COVID syndrome and mixed anxiety and depressive disorder. He lives at home with his wife and requires assistance to navigate stairs, using a walking stick for mobility. On examination, he exhibited grade 4/5 muscle weakness in both proximal and distal muscles. Blood tests

Introduction: Inpatient falls are a common problem, and it is important that newly qualified doctors feel confident in conducting competent assessments of patients after they fall. This project seeks to assess the confidence levels of final year Manchester Medical School (MMS) students surrounding the topic of inpatient falls assessments, as well as to determine whether another resource from MMS regarding this topic would be beneficial. Method: A survey was conducted and disseminated amongst final year students at MMS through email and social media, with questions designed to address the

Background: Falls are common presenting complaints in older adults, particularly those aged 65 and above, with prevalence increasing with age. The risk of falls is multifactorial, and polypharmacy, defined as the use of five or more medications, is one of the significant modifiable risk factors. Inappropriate medication use, which occurs in 30-50% of cases in the elderly, exacerbates this risk. Objective: This audit aimed to assess the impact of polypharmacy on fall risk among elderly patients and evaluate the effectiveness of medication reconciliation in reducing this risk. The study was

Introduction: Inadequate patient selection for transfer to community hospitals disrupts care continuity and compromises patient safety and outcomes. The SBAR communication tool presents a promising solution to address this challenge. This study investigated the impact of SBAR on quality of care and patient outcomes. Methods: Retrospective study involving patients admitted to Samuel Johnson and Sir Robert Peel Community Hospitals from October to November 2023. Data regarding the completion of the SBAR forms, accepted and rejected patients and reasons for rejection, and repatriation numbers were

Background Loneliness is increasingly impacting older people in the UK and associated with poor health. The “Campaign to end loneliness” estimates that 1.2 million people are lonely. Age UK states that 2 million people will be lonely by 2026. For half of people aged >65, their main source of company is TV or pets. Our objectives are to identify the prevalence of loneliness in the population presenting to Leighton Frailty Unit, develop a social prescribing tool to reduce this and highlight community services. Methods During September 2023- February 2024 we gathered baseline data on loneliness

Drugs that have anti-cholinergic affects are known to have side effects such as urinary retention and constipation. In older people these drugs can also contribute to cognitive decline and loss of functional capacity leading to older patients being at risk of increased falls. Taking multiple medications with anti-cholinergic affects create a higher anti-cholinergic burden. Hilmer and Gnjidic (2022). Drugs that have anti-cholinergic affects block acetylcholine receptors (muscles do not receive neurotransmitter and therefore not functioning properly), Brown (2019). Some of these drugs are

Background Delirium is an acute impairment of attention and cognition, precipitated by physiological stressors (Wilson et al., Nature Reviews, Disease Primers, 2020, 6(1)), associated with adverse outcomes (Huraizi et al., Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2023, 12(16), p. 5346) and often under-diagnosed in hospital (Lochlainn, Frewen and Bryant, Age And Ageing, 2018, 47(suppl_5), pp. v1–v12). Integrating early assessment into clinical practice is vital (Hopper et al., Geriatric Medicine GIRFT, 2021). This project assessed compliance with delirium guidelines from the National Institute for Health

Introduction: Inpatient falls present a significant safety concern in NHS hospitals, with approximately 247,000 inpatient falls per year in England alone (Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership (2023), National Audit of Inpatient Falls 2022). The actions following an inpatient fall have potential to influence clinical outcomes and patient safety. This quality improvement project aimed to enhance patient safety by improving the accuracy of post-fall review documentation and increase awareness of the Trust's post-fall protocol. Methods: Data collection involved reviewing electronic notes of

Introduction: Femoral fragility fractures (FFFs) are a significant healthcare concern, with the incidence predicted to rise to 100,000 annually in the UK by 2033. Current secondary preventative strategies focus on the patient’s physical state – overlooking Hospital-associated Deconditioning (HAD), the decline in patient wellbeing post-admission. To prevent HAD, a ‘Games Area’ (GA) was introduced in December 2023 as a service improvement. This study evaluates the GA’s effectiveness in preventing HAD, by assessing patient satisfaction. Method: We evaluated all patients aged 65yrs or more during