Abstract
Two new clinical specialist teams have been established as part of the Integrated Care Programme for the Older Person (ICPOP). The Physiotherapist is a member of such a team and the need for intervention is identified through Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment(CGA)and interdisciplinary collaboration which includes effective communication with Primary Care to avoid duplication.
Our aim was to (1)Examine the profile of those who received Physiotherapy within ICPOP teams (2) Identify those already known to Primary Care Physiotherapy service
We conducted an audit of 85 patients who received ICPOP Physiotherapy from January-April 2023.
Key demographics were obtained along with Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS), reason for referral to ICPOP and rational for Physiotherapy intervention.
From the results we concluded that CGA can identify a need for Physiotherapy intervention for older adults not outlined as a concern at initial referral.We identified an unmet Physiotherapy need for patients with reversible frailty and the importance of close working relationship with PC Physiotherapists to ensure timely and appropriate service provision to this cohort.
This audit identified two main challenges-the large geographical area currently covered and the lack of dedicated ICPOP hubs for assessment and optimal intervention.
The information gained from this audit, which has been gathered at an early stage of team clinical activity, has been useful for Physiotherapy service planning and delivery.