Overview
- Only about one in six patients aged 65 and over were assessed for frailty in 2024/25, down from roughly one in four in 2017/18.
- Of 226,000 people recorded with severe frailty in 2024/25, just 16% had a medication review and 18% received a falls risk assessment.
- Assessment and support vary widely by location, with local assessment rates ranging from around 10% to 90%.
- The National Audit Office says early identification with the right multidisciplinary support can slow frailty progression and delay loss of independence.
- The Department of Health and Social Care and NHS said they will use the findings to improve care, while GPs and the Royal College of GPs point to workload and workforce pressures as constraints.