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GPs in England too ‘overloaded’ to help older people at risk of falling, say MPs
- MPs on the Public Accounts Committee say GPs in England are overloaded and cannot adequately help older people at risk of falling.
- The report notes falls are the leading cause of injury death for those over 65 and cost the NHS billions annually.
- In 2024/25, only 17% of frail patients were assessed for frailty, and just 18% of those with severe frailty were reviewed.
- NHS England has overloaded GPs with new priorities as it pushes for online access to care.
- NHS bosses told the committee the current situation is not acceptable, with many areas showing poor frailty assessments.
- Some areas are performing well, but many local NHS regions assess under 10% of older people for frailty.
- The MPs suggest using other health professionals, such as pharmacists, for frailty reviews to ease GP workload.
- Caroline Abrahams from Age UK warns the delay in translating frailty identification into care remains a problem.
- The committee notes online access expansion has contributed to higher demand and reduced time for proactive frailty care.
- The piece notes NHS England is examining whether other professionals might conduct frailty reviews.
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