Quality care for older people with urgent and emergency care needs in UK emergency departments

摘要

Over the next 20 years, the number of people aged 85 years and over in the UK is set to increase by two-thirds, compared with a 10% growth in the overall population. Hospital episode statistics indicate that patients over 70 years of age accounted for 15.5% of attendances to emergency departments (EDs) in 2010-2011. The same hospital episode statistics data also show that patients aged 60 years or over account for 23% of attendances to the EDs and, compared with the 21-59 age group, are more likely to arrive by ambulance, have more investigations done and despite similar booking in and assessment times, spend a longer time in the ED.