One patient has hailed the service as ‘brilliant, joined-up care’
Chris Miller, a consultant geriatrician on the unit
Bosses at Leicester Royal Infirmary (LRI) said older patients are now getting faster, safer care thanks to a “pioneering” same-day unit that’s helping avoid many unnecessary hospital stays.
The A&E department at the infirmary is one of the UK’s busiest and the new unit for frail patients was set up in January 2025 to get older patients assessed, treated and back home as quickly as possible.
The hospital said the Frailty Same Day Emergency Care was not only making things better for the patients by helping them avoid unnecessary waits, but also relieving the strain on staff in the emergency department.
Of the patients that have been dealt with by the unit, more than 70 per cent were discharged again within 24 hours.
Consultant Chris Miller said: “The patients get to be seen by a specialist team, which includes consultant geriatricians, specialist pharmacists, advanced care practitioners, resident doctors, frailty trained nursing staff, physiotherapists, and occupational therapy colleagues.
“This has a massive benefit to patients, because we can understand their preferences of care, we can initiate medical, nursing and therapy services, and make onward referral to community services to manage these patients effectively and appropriately in their own homes, which is where most of them would like to be.”
The patients seen at the unit are either sent there directly from A&E or they can also be referred by their GPs. The LRI said that without the unit, all of the patients would have probably been admitted for hospital stays.
Clive Williams, 77, went to A&E after finding himself unable to move due to back pain. The retired ambulance service worker said: “They have the right kit, they have the time to talk to you and they have the know-how to treat you.
“Everyone, from the people who bring you food and help you shower, to the doctors, has been so professional.
Clive Williams, 77, said: “It’s brilliant, joined-up care.”
“It’s brilliant, joined-up care. Everything has come together with my problems, and I’m really pleased to be part of a unit which, although it’s young, has taken off very well from what I can see around me.
“I have no complaints at all. They’re now trying to find me a community bed at Oakham, and in a way, I hope they don’t!”
Ann Alexander was at the unit to visit her sister, who was brought to hospital by ambulance after a fall at home.
She said: “I know just how busy the hospital is and I was imagining spending hours in A&E with people on beds in corridors, and then when I was told my sister was here, I didn’t know what to expect.
“It’s beautiful – sliding doors which are easy to manage, privacy, specialist staff, clean, and modern. It’s brilliant that they recognise people, especially older people, just want to be back at home. It is fantastic.”
Brian Haines, 70, who has type-1 diabetes, said he was admitted with “blood sugars all over the place”.
Brian Haines, 70, praised the staff at the unit
He said: “The staff are amazing. It’s a good little unit and nobody sits in judgement. They are amazing people, from the consultants to the health care assistants.
“They are ever so good and that’s my experience of it.”