King's College London

TY - JOUR

T1 - Where are we now in perioperative medicine? Results from a repeated UK survey of geriatric medicine delivered services for older people

AU - Joughin, Andrea

AU - Partridge, Judith Stephanie Louise

AU - O'Halloran, Tessa

AU - Dhesi, Jugdeep Kaur

PY - 2019/5/1

Y1 - 2019/5/1

N2 - Introduction: national reports highlight deficiencies in the care of older patients undergoing surgery. A 2013 survey showed less than a third of NHS trusts had geriatrician-led perioperative medicine services for older surgical patients. Barriers to establishing services included funding, workforce and limited interspecialty collaboration. Since then, national initiatives have supported the expansion of geriatrician-led services for older surgical patients. This repeat survey describes geriatrician-led perioperative medicine services in comparison with 2013, exploring remaining barriers to developing perioperative medicine services for older patients. Methods: An electronic survey was sent to clinical leads for geriatric medicine at 152 acute NHS healthcare trusts in the UK. Reminders were sent on four occasions over an 8-week period. The survey examined the nature of the services provided, extent of collaborative working and barriers to service development. Responses were analysed descriptively. Results: eighty-one (53.3%) respondents provide geriatric medicine services for older surgical patients, compared to 38 (29.2%) in 2013. Services exist across surgical specialties, especially in orthopaedics and general surgery. Fourteen geriatrician-led preoperative clinics now exist. Perceived barriers to service development remain workforce issues and funding. Interspecialty collaboration has increased, evidenced by joint audit meetings (33% from 20.8%) and collaborative guideline development (31% from 17%). Conclusion: since 2013, an increase in whole-pathway geriatric medicine involvement is observed across surgical specialties. However, considerable variation persists across the UK with scope for wider adoption of services facilitated through a national network.

AB - Introduction: national reports highlight deficiencies in the care of older patients undergoing surgery. A 2013 survey showed less than a third of NHS trusts had geriatrician-led perioperative medicine services for older surgical patients. Barriers to establishing services included funding, workforce and limited interspecialty collaboration. Since then, national initiatives have supported the expansion of geriatrician-led services for older surgical patients. This repeat survey describes geriatrician-led perioperative medicine services in comparison with 2013, exploring remaining barriers to developing perioperative medicine services for older patients. Methods: An electronic survey was sent to clinical leads for geriatric medicine at 152 acute NHS healthcare trusts in the UK. Reminders were sent on four occasions over an 8-week period. The survey examined the nature of the services provided, extent of collaborative working and barriers to service development. Responses were analysed descriptively. Results: eighty-one (53.3%) respondents provide geriatric medicine services for older surgical patients, compared to 38 (29.2%) in 2013. Services exist across surgical specialties, especially in orthopaedics and general surgery. Fourteen geriatrician-led preoperative clinics now exist. Perceived barriers to service development remain workforce issues and funding. Interspecialty collaboration has increased, evidenced by joint audit meetings (33% from 20.8%) and collaborative guideline development (31% from 17%). Conclusion: since 2013, an increase in whole-pathway geriatric medicine involvement is observed across surgical specialties. However, considerable variation persists across the UK with scope for wider adoption of services facilitated through a national network.

KW - Clinical pathways

KW - Older people

KW - Perioperative medicine

KW - Service development

KW - Surgical-liaison geriatrics

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85065790339&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1093/ageing/afy218

DO - 10.1093/ageing/afy218

M3 - Article

VL - 48

SP - 458

EP - 462

JO - Age and Ageing

JF - Age and Ageing

SN - 0002-0729

IS - 3

ER -