New blueprint aims to help commissioners across the UK transform older people ’ s healthcare
The British Geriatrics Society ( BGS ) has launched a blueprint for preventing and managing frailty in older people , which aims to show what goodquality age-attuned integrated care for older people looks like .
Joining the dots is intended to help commissioners across the UK with the design and delivery of health and care services for older people . While older people are the largest group using health and social care services , the way services are currently configured and delivered is not meeting their needs and is creating avoidable costs for an over-stretched health and care system .
The blueprint sets out why organisations commissioning health and care services must focus on older people and on the prevention and management of frailty in particular , with BGS pointing to the fact that frailty affects up to half of the population aged over 85 and costs the UK healthcare systems £ 5.8 billion a year .
BGS adds that around 47 % of hospital inpatients aged over 65 are affected by frailty . But frailty is not an inevitable part of ageing and putting in place measures to slow its onset or progression should be a priority for every commissioner across the UK .
Prevention and reversal of frailty enables people to live independently for longer and helps to reduce demand for emergency care and long-term support , it points out .
The blueprint sets out seven system touchpoints and outcomes , ranging from ‘ Enabling independence , promoting wellbeing ’ through to ‘ Co-ordinated , compassionate end of life care ’, that should be considered when planning and commissioning health and social care for older people .
Twelve actions are recommended for systems to create the conditions for high-quality integrated care for older people . These are supported by evidence , illustrations and key resources to help with implementation .
Professor Adam Gordon , BGS President , said : ‘ I am proud that experts from BGS , under the leadership of Professor Anne Hendry , have worked together to create this essential guide to delivering high-quality age-attuned care for older people .
‘ The framework it sets out , supported by evidence , examples and practical resources , will be immensely valuable for commissioners and system leaders as they plan for the needs of current and future older populations .’
Read the report at www . bgs . org . uk / Blueprint .
Challenges facing health and social care workforce dismissed as a key priority for spending in 2023
On 15 March , Chancellor Jeremy Hunt delivered his Spring Budget speech . Karin Orman , RCOT Director of Practice and Innovation responded , saying : ‘ The Chancellor has announced a range of measures to try and boost the economy and address the big issues facing the country , under a banner of “ Enterprise , Education , Employment , Everywhere ”.
‘ The challenges facing the health and social care workforce , including occupational therapists , were essentially dismissed as a key priority for spending , disregarding the issues faced by the sector , staff and service users .’
In December 2023 , RCOT wrote jointly to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care , as part of the Community Rehabilitation Alliance , to call on the government to recognise the need to invest in the rehab workforce and to take our calls into account as the NHS workforce plan is finalised .
Karin added : ‘ The Chancellor only referenced the long-awaited and much needed NHS Long Term Workforce Plan . While we look forward to seeing the plan when published , it ’ s disappointing the Chancellor didn ’ t take the opportunity to provide a launch date or an indication on what to expect .’
She went on : ‘ There were some positive actions which will support our members , such as the expansion of free childcare . We also welcome the announcement of two new consultations into the availability of occupational health and look forward to seeing the detail in the upcoming white paper on health and disability .
‘ But without addressing the key barriers facing workers across the NHS and social care , waiting lists and vacancies will continue to grow .’
In a clear call to action she concluded : ‘ We continue to call on government to address the key barriers , both individually and with partners including the Community Rehabilitation Alliance , # SENDInTheSpecialists , # PrescribingNow , but little or no progress has been made .
‘ Occupational therapists are on their knees with huge increases in demand on their support and long-term issues with recruitment and retention that are not going away without decisive action and investment .
‘ We call on the government to bring forward the workforce plan immediately and to engage with us and our alliance partners on the key challenges facing the health and social care system .’
10 OTnews April 2023