Clinical gerontology
What we do
We diagnose and treat conditions that are common in older, frail people. These include specific problems such as dementia, falls or osteoporosis. At the same time, we carry out a Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) to assess and treat a variety of diseases, so we can help improve patients’ physical and mental health, independence and quality of life.
Our department includes consultant specialist doctors, a nurse consultant, trainee doctors, specialist nurses and therapists. We also work closely with Old Age Psychiatry and Social Services as well as a number of charities.
Our outpatient services are based at King’s Older Persons’ Assessment Unit in the Betty Alexander Suite, Suite 2, Golden Jubilee Wing. We also treat older inpatients with complex conditions on our Health and Ageing Unit (HAU) (Byron Ward). This offers rehabilitation as well as medical treatment.
At our Frailty Assessment Unit, we ensure that vulnerable older people living with frailty who have come to King’s Emergency Department (ED) are assessed by a specialist frailty team within the first few hours of their arrival. The team includes doctors, nurses and therapists working with the ED, social workers and community teams to ensure a Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment is delivered as early as possible, because this improves outcomes for our patients.
Many older patients are looked after by other specialists at King’s and we support this in a variety of ways:
- our King’s Older People’s Assessment and Liaison (KOPAL) service covers acute and post-acute medicine
- our PROKARE team supports general surgery, trauma and orthopaedics
- we also support the hospital’s neurosurgical wards with regular ward rounds.
These teams screen older people for problems associated with frailty, and advise and support their carers. They can organise transfer of care to the HAU.
Support for older patients on other wards is provided by our specialist registrar, specialist nurses and the on-call consultant.
Much of our research is carried out by the Clinical Age Research Unit, an internationally recognised centre for studying the process of ageing.
Preparing for your appointment
Please bring with you an up-to-date list of your medications, including non-prescription tablets or herbal medicines.
Location
Suite 2, Ground Floor, Golden Jubilee Wing, King’s College Hospital, Denmark Hill, London, SE5 9RS
Contact Details
- Main Reception (Outpatients): 020 3299 6185
Conditions we treat
Our outpatient service sees patients who have:
- heart failure with co-morbid frailty
- dementia, cognitive impairment and memory problems
- osteoporosis
- had a fall
- hypertension, via referral to General Acute Medicine
- Parkinson’s disease (nurse-led clinic)
- had a stroke.
We also see complex patients with multiple health needs for Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment in a consultant-led clinic.
This service is available Monday-Friday, 9am to 5pm, and manages patients with multiple health problems who require intensive treatment and review to prevent a hospital admission. We offer urgent appointments where we aim to see patients within 24 to 48 hours.
Our team includes dedicated nurses who case manage patients, act as patient advocates and co-ordinate care working alongside doctors and therapists.
Occupational therapists assess a patient’s functional ability with particular reference to independence and safety at home, providing any aids and minor adaptations required.
Physiotherapists provide screening, assessment and management of patients at risk of falls and for those with mobility or balance problems. We provide group balance classes as well as individualised assessments and other forms of rehabilitation.
A patient can see the whole team or individual members of the team depending on their needs.
King’s Older Persons’ Assessment Unit also offers an infusion service where patients can have blood transfusions and other intravenous therapies such as intravenous iron and intravenous bisphosphonates.
What is required before referring a patient
Heart Failure (Frail Older People)
When referring patients with possible or probable heart failure and significant comorbidity or severe frailty (as determined by e-FI scores), include NT-proBNP levels in the referral to ensure appropriate triage.
Osteoporosis clinic
Refer patients over 70 where there are concerns about osteoporosis to the osteoporois clinic. If possible, include a calculated FRAX score and NOGG recommendation in the referral.
Booking a patient at King’s
GPs should refer via NHS e-referral (e-RS) wherever possible.
Other ways to refer
Routine Referrals
GPs, other community health and social care professionals, plus hospital-based health and social care professionals can refer to this service.
GPs should refer via e-RS wherever possible. All other routine referrals, including GP referrals to nurse-led clinics, should be emailed to: [email protected].
Emergency Referrals
For emergency referrals, Lambeth and Southwark GPs can call their Consultant Connect number and select ‘King’s Older Persons Assessment Unit and speak to a Geriatrician’ in the list of options. This service is available to all GPs in Lambeth and Southwark and is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Call this service to speak to a consultant, registrar or senior nurse to:
- avoid the patient attending King’s Emergency department – discuss alternatives to an emergency attendance
- arrange a HOT appointment (same or next working day) or timely access to complex case intervention/specialist gerontology outpatient clinics
- facilitate an appropriate emergency response via the referrals registrar (also available on bleep 435) or on-call consultant. If you think a patient needs emergency admission, please refer to the hospital site manager.
Other health and social care professionals can call 020 3299 6184 or 020 3299 6185.
Other Queries
Contact our referrals SpR on 020 3299 9000, bleep 435, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. Alternatively, call your Consultant Connect number and select ‘King’s Older Persons Assessment Unit and speak to a Geriatrician’ in the list of options.
GPs can also ask questions via e-RS Advice and Guidance. We aim to respond within two working days.
Referral forms
| Title | File Size | Link |
|---|---|---|
| King’s Older Persons’ Assessment Unit infusion-transfusion referral form | 39 KB |
Key Clinical Staff
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
| Dr Dan Bailey | Consultant Physician and Co-Chair Trust LGBTQ+ Network |
| Dr Catherine Bryant | Consultant Physician |
| Dr Jayati das-munshi | Consultant Psychiatrist |
| Dr Ruth Eyres | Consultant Geriatrician |
| Ms Nicky Hayes | Consultant Nurse for Older People |
| Dr Ambika Irving | Consultant |
| Prof Stephen Jackson | Professor of Clinical Gerontology |
| Dr Nicola Lochrie | Consultant Physician |
| Dr Dawn McIntosh | Consultant Physician |
| Dr Georgina Meredith | Consultant |
| Miss Emma Ouldred | Lead Dementia and Delirium Specialist Nurse |
| Dr Rohan Pathansali | Consultant Physician |
| Dr Oenone Poole-Wilson | Doctor |
| Dr Julie Whitney | Consultant AHP |
| Dr Dan Wilson | Consultant Physician |