Evidence base
This section provides links and a brief summary of a robust evidence base. For example, peer-reviewd studies, systematic revies, evaluations of interventions and best practice guidelines from national sources.
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Issue number 1 = highest priority |
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1 |
Source |
The Health Foundation |
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Title incl. web link |
Our Ageing Population |
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Summary |
The Health Foundation reports that the number of people over 85 years of age in England will double to 2.6 million within 25 years. They acknowledge that with age, long-term conditions and frailty increase which generates greater demand on NHS and care services. |
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Source |
Department of Health and Social Care |
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Title incl. web link |
Chief Medical Officer’s Annual Report 2023 Chief Medical Officer’s annual report 2023: health in an ageing society - GOV.UK |
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Summary |
The report describes the demographic shift towards older age, highlighting growing concentrations of older people, particularly in rural and coastal areas. The report calls for planning to minimise time spent in ill health and frailty as a national priority. The CMO stresses that ageing populations will create substantial demand for NHS, social care and local services and require system-level action. |
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2 |
Source |
NHS Providers |
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Title incl. web link |
The impacts of frailty and current policy |
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Summary |
NHS Providers highlights that 69% of people aged 85+ live with multiple long term conditions, with frailty closely intertwined with multimorbidity. These burdens fall heaviest in deprived areas. |
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Source |
National Institute for Health and Care Research |
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Title incl. web link |
Frailty: research shows how to improve care |
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Summary |
Evidence shows that people with frailty become vulnerable to falls, hospitalisation, disability and long-term care needs, patterns are intensified in socioeconomically deprived populations. |
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3 |
Source |
NICE |
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Title incl. web link |
Older People |
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Summary |
Guidance on older people emphasises the need for personalised assessment due to varying risk profiles, including socioeconomic disadvantage and complex conditions. Updated NICE guidance on fragility and fall-prevention highlights the impact of multiple long-term conditions on frailty risk. |
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Source |
National Audit Office |
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Title incl. web link |
Primary and community healthcare support for people living with frailty Primary and community healthcare support for people living with frailty |
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Summary |
The National Audit Office report that frailty is vastly under-identified in primary care, with only 17% of registered patients aged 65+ assessed for frailty in 2024-25, despite frailty being one of the strongest predictors of hospitalisation. Severe frailty is substantially associated with increased hospital use, people with severe frailty are nearly 6 times more likely to be admitted to hospital, showing a hidden high-risk population not consistently captured in routine GP assessments. |
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