Why you should read this article:

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To recognise that identifying frailty is important to support older people living with complex needs

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To be aware that a frailty screening and assessment tool should be used that is most appropriate for the clinician’s service

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To understand that collaborative working can improve care and reduce hospital admissions for older people living with frailty

Identifying frailty is essential to support older people living with complex health and social care needs. This article discusses how a Florence Nightingale Foundation travel scholar used her scholarship to explore best practice in identifying frailty in acute and community settings in Scotland with the aim of developing services for people living with frailty locally and regionally in England.

As the move to integrated care services develops in England, valuable insights from Scotland will assist in the proactive design of bespoke services around the needs of individuals in the community and, when acutely unwell, in the hospital setting.