Safety recommendation
HSIB recommends that NHS England and NHS Improvement establishes a process to ensure that findings of the National Institute for Health Research’s policy research programme into frailty in younger patient groups are reviewed and acted upon.
Response:
NHS England recognises the report's conclusions regarding the importance of understanding more about frailty in younger populations (i.e. below the age of 65) and frailty’s associated importance in effective perioperative care.
We identified the need for further research into this area in 2019 following feedback from clinical teams involved in the Specialised Clinical Frailty Network (an improvement collaborative established to embed a focus on frailty in specialised service pathways).
Our proposal and focus in this area led to an NIHR Evidence review into frailty in younger populations and subsequently an agreement for an NIHR funded research programme in this area.
NHSE has been involved in shaping that programme over the last 6 months. Subject to the research applicants final proposal being agreed by NIHR, a number of clinical leaders and policy leads from NHS England will be engaged as that research progresses and we will be keen to review the findings and their implications for national clinical policy as and when they are developed.
Action: NHS England clinical and policy leads to engage with research programme (“Understanding the trajectory of frailty across the life course.“) June 2023, subject to the current research proposal being agreed by NIHR.
Action: NHS England to review findings of research programme and implications for policy June 2024, subject to the current research proposal completing on time (June 2023).
Response received on 15 November 2021.