Band 6 Frailty Practitioner

Job overview

A Frailty Practitioner provides input in all aspects of holistic patient care at the front door. This will involve the management of frail, older adults through the acute frailty service pathway within the Emergency Department and Acute Assessment Unit service with further scope to expand the service in various clinical areas within the hospital.  The post-holder is expected to deliver high-quality, evidence based care in a variety of acute care settings, working as part of the multidisciplinary team.

Main duties of the job

• Active participation in multi-disciplinary care including screening for frailty, providing a comprehensive geriatric assessment [CGA] at the front door  with an aim of early supported discharge and admissions avoidance.
• Keeping accurate records of patient contact.
• Providing skilled assessment, planning, delivery and evaluation of frailty conditions within defined guidelines and protocols.
• Providing specialist care to patients living with frailty within the Trust.
• Ordering, performing and interpreting relevant clinical test and investigations.
• Providing expert frailty advice and guidance to nursing, allied health and medical colleagues and other MDT colleagues as required.
• Recognise  SPC (specialist palliative care team) as a key relationship and consider  Advance Care Planning and use of the UCP (urgent care plan, London care record Cerner etc) as patient centred, admission avoidance tool

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Work both autonomously and as part of the wider MDT  in the management of a caseload of patients across the Acute Frailty Service including within the Emergency Department and Acute Assessment Unit.
• Maintain effective and clear communication with patients, carers and professionals to ensure optimal service delivery.
• Engage effectively in the screening and assessment of frailty conditions including falls and delirium.
• Be able to respond urgently and undertake a rapid assessment safely and effectively to prevent hospital admission, facilitate timely discharge or identify clinical deterioration in a timely manner.
• Undertake an MDT supported comprehensive geriatric assessment including ordering, performing and interpreting relevant clinical examinations under the supervision of senior clinician, as well as providing advice and education to patients and the wider multi-disciplinary team.
• Maintain awareness of own professional limitations, act within own scope of practice and agreed guidelines and protocols. Make use of professional judgement when managing complex or unpredictable situations.
• Provide health promotion and advice to frail patients to reduce the risk of deterioration and related complications.
• Plan and conduct appropriate follow up of frail patients to ensure safe and effective acute frailty service delivery.