Developing frailty friendly hospitals: the Specialised Clinical Frailty Network

Abstract

The aim of the Specialised Clinical Frailty Network (SCFN) was to develop frailty-attuned pathways in specialised services in England. We developed a breakthrough series collaborative involving a range of specialised services, using quality improvement methods (including experience-based design) to implement improvements designed to enhance the experience and outcomes of older people living with frailty who have specialised healthcare needs. Specialised teams responded positively to the SCFN, many implementing process changes aligned to the needs of older people living with frailty. Some were able to demonstrate improvements in service and/or patient outcomes, including greater identification of frailty, more holistic care and increased use of shared decision making. The network has successfully demonstrated how frailty can be assessed both at individual, as well as population level, to support both local teams and systems to best manage the health of their patients.