Telephone follow up for older people discharged from A&E

This article reports on a pilot study to evaluate the benefits of providing a telephone follow-up service for patients over 75 years discharged directly from A&E. A liaison nurse retrieved details of patients from the department's attendance records and, wherever possible, telephoned the patient/carer/family to assess how they were coping following discharge. Advice and reassurance were offered as required and referrals made to the relevant statutory/voluntary agencies as appropriate. The author highlights a range of benefits from the service and recommends that such a service could be tailored to the needs of the local population.