As part of the NHS General Medical Contract, GP practices are required to carry out searches to identify any registered patient usually aged 65 years and over who is frail; this is done by using the Electronic Frailty Index Tool (eFI).
The eFI searches patient’s medical records for many factors, including a combination of any of the following categories;
- Long-term conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, hypertension etc
- Physical disabilities such as mobility problems, hearing or sight loss
- Social vulnerability such as isolation
- Signs and symptoms, such as falls, memory problems and sleep disturbances
- Abnormal phlebotomy results indicating anaemia
- Multiple medications
What this means for you as a patient identified with moderate or severe frailty:
- The frailty diagnosis will be added to your medical record.
- The GP will carry out a review of your medication.
- If you are recorded as having a fall or multiple falls you will be offered a falls assessment to check if there are any clinically appropriate interventions required.
- We will ask you, if you do not already have one, whether you would like to have an enriched Summary Care Record (eSCR). An eSCR means that any authorised, registered and regulated health and care professional (such as paramedics, accident and emergency departments) will be able to see the following information to assist them in ensuring you receive the most appropriate care and treatment:
- Past and present significant medical history
- Reason for medication prescribed
- Anticipatory care information (e.g. such as management of long-term conditions
- End of life care (if appropriate)
- Immunisations
If you have been coded with a frailty diagnosis and you disagree with this, please contact the practice for further information.