Frailty assessment absolutely fuming

I think usually people say these make them sound more frail!
How annoying though if they have got things wrong!

It's great to use telephone assessments for many things, but to do one for frailty is pushing it a bit. I'm not surprised these are turning out not very accurate.Hope your GP arranges another assessment for you.

How can a GP do a frailty assessment without actually seeing the patient in person? I'd ask for a face-to-face appointment for a proper assessment and for that one to be deleted from your records Minigrandma!

Write a letter to the practice manager, marked "Urgent".

Make a detailed list of what's wrong and mention that you will be checking your patient record to make sure the changes have been made.

If you are frail and feel that you need a face-to-face appointment, make a request in the letter that an appointment is made.

If you didn't request the assessment and don't feel that you need treatment, it's more likely that the practice is using standard questions to screen all its patients over a certain age.

If this is on your record it could make a difference as to whether you would qualify for disability benefits too. I had a similar experience when I completed a telephone frailty assessment for my 94 year old mum - I have LPA for her as she has vascular dementia. When I viewed what had been written online much of it was incorrect, and as you’ve stated here, a lot of it I wasn’t asked about, and several very wrong assumptions have been made - I can only assume after looking at past medical evidence which is no longer relevant.

I rang the practice and asked for a further appointment to correct the information and was politely refused, so I insisted on a telephone appointment to see our GP, and was subsequently told that this is a standard screening for all patients over retirement age - I told GP in no uncertain terms that there was no point to these screenings if it was a one size fits all assessment and so many details about patients were wrong as a result. I was invited into the surgery and the assessment was done again. It’s hard work to get things corrected but persevere, and do as I did - quote the data protection act. All information stored on computer has to be correct and up to date, and if incorrect has to be updated within 28 days of being informed of incorrect data.

Well done, Pammiel

This could have really serious repercussions, good advice Pammie1, thankyou.

These Frailty assessments are certainly a cause for concern. I was checking my Health Record and found much to my surprise that I had been assessed as Mildly Frail. I had seen no- one ..not even a phone assessment. To say I was furious is to put it mildly! I eventually managed to speak to the Practice Manager who told me not to worry, the assessment had been done by computer, based on my age, health issues and medication! No one had seen me, spoken to me and frankly obviously knew very little about me. Family and friends thought it comical, but what concerned and worried me was that it may have implications for my future health care. I asked for it to be removed, and it has been.

I'm a GP and I hate these various, totally pointless assessments.
We are expected to go through a complicated on line form which asks silly questions.
No one takes the slightest bit of notice after they've been done.
It's just another daft government idea to give us more irrelevant work to do and tick boxes.
Don't worry about what's been written. No one is ever going to look again till next year when we start all over again!
The Dementia reviews are even worse and don't get me started on EHCP ( Emergency health care planning)

I checked my medical record on line yesterday prior to a phone call from GP re high cholesterol. I discovered my risk of having a stroke or heart attack in the next 10 yrs is almost 20% This was assessed last yr, no idea when or where unless at an annual asthma review but it has never been mentioned to me. So...9 yrs to go!

You have bought up an important issue. Mirren says “ no one takes the slightest bit of notice after they have been done “. This may be true for the GP practice but if you in the future want to make a claim for state benefits or on your holiday insurance, other government agencies and insurance companies will look at them in detail for reasons not to pay out.
Good advice from Pammie1 to make sure your health records are accurate.

Pammie1, you are very god on giving advice like this. I am also a carer and I have found you have to be firm and consistent in order to get taken seriously. This may involve documenting all communications, documenting day to day health and function and just preserving with a system that is often set up to fail those most vulnerable using it.

Good luck minigrandma

What is a Frailty Assessment ? Never heard of it …

Artificial intelligence is taking over a lot of important tasks like this. You can make a data subject access request to correct any incorrect data held. A draft letter to send to the practice is available here:

ico.org.uk/for-the-public/your-right-to-get-your-data-corrected/

Its another government box ticking exercise, it appeared on my medical records a few months ago and was invited for an assessment, to see if there was anything they can help me with.
All they have done is given me more to worry about🙄

Thanks everyone, the GP surgery have been in touch and are looking into my complaint.

I discovered my risk of having a stroke or heart attack in the next 10 yrs is almost 20%

Did no one pick up on the fact that you are 80% likely to not have a heart attack or stroke?

Thank you Minigrandma for bringing this up, and to Pammie1 and Seajaye for important information. I had no idea this kind of thing was/is going on and being on my own (no family in this country), I try to be aware of future potential health issues, real or (mis) construed.

Before you jump up and down about your frailty assessment, have a look at what the definitions are. I was quite surprised at how I was considered mildly frail until I looked at the definitions. Also, be aware that the scales might be different at different times or in different places. For example, what the hospital rate you whilst you are there s might be very different from what the GP would say having looked at your health record.
"Frail" appears to be the wrong word in these assessments. You might be strong as an ox and otherwise healthy but if you can't walk far, you might meet the definition of "frail". You might have all sorts of problems which impact your health but if you can walk and don't need a lot of help you wouldn't necessarily meet the criteria to even be "mildly frail."

Seajaye - thank you for that Link.
I checked my records recently and noticed some entries regarding my Diabetes saying I had not attened an appointment but also declined other teatments. I don't know who this person is but I haven't seen anyone about it.
I also supposedly had an email from a Doctor. No such thing.
I have written to the Practice Manager but still waiting after 5 days. At least your template will give them a kick up the backside to change things.

Some worrying issues here. How does one access one’s NHS file?

Doing an assessment with patient consent/permission is not good practice is it? I guess the positive thing is that we can see more on the NHS app. I found this - a bit dense/complex but informative and useful on the subject of frailty.
www.bgs.org.uk/resources/introduction-to-frailty

Nandalot

Some worrying issues here. How does one access one’s NHS file?

You download the NHS app, everything is on there Nandalot

I agree Roseberry Topping, it might be a box ticking exercise for a GP practice but could have considerable implications for people looking for benefits/insurance in the future. I think frailty in older people is something that should be taken very seriously, (just thinking of my late mum who got very frail quite suddenly due to a bowel issue, and lost a lot of quality of life as a result). I believe primary care/GPs are asked to assess health issues in the care of older people that should be assessed by more specialist geriatric care practitioners.