Emergency department staff at University Hospital Wishaw have access to a frailty friendly trolley for the first time.
The site’s acute care of the elderly team has handed over the trolley to ED colleagues. The trolley will benefit frail older adults who are a vulnerable group that often find hospital admission distressing.
The trolleys have been used in parts of NHS England to try and ensure hospital journeys for this patient population are less stressful from the outset.
The trolleys contain communication aids including hearing aid batteries, non-slip socks in case the patient arrives at ED without safe footwear and information leaflets to give to relatives about common frailty syndromes such as delirium.
The trolley also contains activity books, colouring books, radio and twiddlemuffs that can he handed out to alleviate boredom and reduce distress. Look out for the trolleys appearing in other wards in UHW in the coming months.
