Abstract
Abstract Background An aim of Community Specialist Teams (CSTs) is to provide integrated multidisciplinary services to older people closer to home. Physiotherapy is a key component of this service. This evaluation aims to describe current physiotherapy practices within a specific CST and identify potential areas for improvement. The CST under examination maintains a physiotherapy staffing level of 1.2 Full-Time Equivalents. Methods An evaluation was completed of the physiotherapy input provided to 71 older adults who underwent a Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) with the CST between July and December 2023. Data encompassing service user demographics and physiotherapy specific information were anonymised and analysed using Microsoft Excel. Results The median age of clients was 84 years (range 66-95), with 84.5% aged over 75 years. 70% were female. The median Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) was 5 (range 3-7), with 75% being classified as frail. The reasons for referral were community rehabilitation (43%), admission avoidance (20%), early supported discharge (17%) and other (20%). Median time to CGA was 18 days (range 1-64 days). 64 (94%) patients were referred to physiotherapy and received an average of 4.4 sessions. Time to physiotherapy assessment following CGA ranged from 0-41 days with a median of 6 days. 83% of clients had physiotherapy intervention in their homes, 14% attended community hubs and 3% both. Analysis of delayed discharge revealed a range of 0-99 excess days beyond the estimated discharge date, with a median delay of 6 days. Conclusion This evaluation underscores the prevalent need for physiotherapy input among the service users engaged with this CST. Concerns arise regarding the breach of the of the National Integrated Care Programme for Older Persons (NICPOP) guideline for CGA timing (2 weeks) and target discharge date (6 weeks). The findings of this review will inform future service planning and the development of integrated physiotherapy pathways for older people.
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