An Audit of a newly established Advanced Nurse Practitioner Led Frailty Outreach Clinic

Abstract Background The Advanced Nurse Practitioner (ANP) Frailty Clinic Audit Project was developed in response to the increasing recognition of frailty as a critical healthcare issue in our ageing population. The project aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the newly established outreach ANP-Led Frailty Clinic in delivering timely and comprehensive care to older adults, improving patient outcomes and optimising healthcare resource utilisation. Frailty is a multidimensional syndrome that increases an individual's vulnerability to adverse health outcomes such as falls, hospitalisation, functional decline and mortality. There was a growing demand for specialised services to identify and manage frailty early, preventing unnecessary hospital admissions and promoting independence among older adults with direct referrals form General Practitioners. The audit sought to determine whether early interventions in the clinic led to improved patient outcomes reduced hospital admission and enhance quality of life. Understanding the clinics performance ensured future service development based in real-world data. Methods Prospective clinical audit was conducted (September 2023-December 2024 inclusive) Inclusion Criteria: Patients >65 years referred to the ANP Frailty Clinic by Geriatrician or General Practitioner Results A total of 95 patients were included in the audit. Ten primary referral issues were identified with cognitive impairment and polypharmacy emerging as the most frequent concerns. Following initial assessment at the clinic, 30 patients (31.5%) re presented to the Emergency Department. The reasons for readmission varied and included falls resulting in fracture, respiratory illness and in some cases death. These outcomes highlight the high vulnerability of the older population and underscore the importance of early intervention strategies. Conclusion The results suggest that while the clinic plays a critical role in early assessment and intervention, there is a need to further strengthen follow up care enhance integration with community services and implement proactive management plans to help reduce avoidable hospital admissions and improve long term patient outcomes.