The new 2017/2018 GP contract introduces routine frailty identification for patients who are 65 and over from 1 July 2017. This guidance provides GPs and Primary Care with a summary of the core contract requirements in relation to frailty within the contract and includes signposting to further support. The FAQs in this document was updated in April 2019 to reflect feedback from users.

Some GP practices may have batch-coded a Read code diagnosis of frailty based solely on an eFI score, without clinical judgement confirming a diagnosis.  This statement confirms the importance of clinical judgement to ensure there is not inappropriate follow up action for patients, including unnecessary clinical interventions; and services, including future care planning based on an undiagnosed wrong identification.