ADDING LIFE TO YEARS
Report of the Expert Group on Healthcare of Older People

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"The Chief Medical Officer will lead an Expert Group to improve the care of older people in NHS acute and primary care services. This will include action to reduce delays in discharging patients from hospital."

Our National Health A plan for action, a plan for change
December 2000

The Remit of the Expert Group
To provide an overview and description of the major health problems of older people; a description of the journey of care for older people, including delayed discharge; an investigation and description of allegations of negative discrimination on the grounds of age (ageism) in NHSScotland; and examples of good practice and recommendations.

Contents

1 Foreword - Chief Medical Officer

2 Demography and trends
- Change in Population
- Health Problems of the Elderly
- Repeat Attendances
- Over 85s

3 The journey of care
- Staying Well
- Health Screening for Older People
- Supporting Older People at Home
- Access
- Avoidance of Unnecessary Hospital Admission
- Admission
- Acute Hospital Care
- Delayed Discharge
- Nearing the end of life

4 Overview of major health problems
- Cancer
- Coronary Heart Disease and Stroke
- Mental Health
- Falls and Fracture Prevention

5 Ageism in NHSScotland
- What the Public Thinks
- Specific issues
- Ageism

6 Strategic Issues

7 Making it happen - and the agenda for future work

Annex A - Executive Summary

Annex B - EGHOP Members

Annex C - Recommendations

Annex D - Key Documents

Annex E - Glossary