What we do
Here at East Lancashire NHS Teaching Hospitals Trust, we recently opened a new Older Persons’ Rapid Assessment Unit (OPRA) AND Older Persons’ Unit (OPU) in 2019, in line with the Pennine Lancashire Frailty Strategy and NHS England’s Care Standards for Frail Older People.
The Unit has nine assessment areas and 38 beds for patients who require an inpatient stay, and is single sex compliant.
The purpose of the unit is to provide a safe and caring environment for our frail older patients and their relatives and carers, who present acutely to the Trust by providing specialist skills and knowledge whilst also ensuring safe, personal and effective discharge planning.
Patients on the Unit benefit from a specialist multi-disciplinary (MDT) older peoples’ team for assessment, diagnosis and advance care planning, whilst ensuring discharges are prompt, appropriate and fully supported. On the Unit, we have an experienced, dedicated and enthusiastic team of doctors, nursing staff, occupational therapists, physiotherapists and pharmacists, along with direct access to our Speech and Language Therapy and Dietetic services. The Unit also works closely with social care staff, and the Trust’s Complex Case Management team where required to support with discharge plans.
How to access the service
Patients are identified following arrival to the Emergency Department, Urgent Care Centre and admitting AMU wards, where the frailty team recognise patients suitable for the rapid assessment area.
The Unit accepts patients who fall under the following criteria:
- Any patient over 75 years of age
- Any patient from a residential or nursing home
- Any patient with a Clinical Frailty Score of ≥5
Additionally, the Unit also accepts any patient who presents with a frailty syndrome, regardless of age, which can include:
- Unexplained falls
- Bony injuries
- Reduced mobility
- Increased confusion
- Urinary or bowel symptoms
- Evidence of carer strain
- Being managed as a non-cancer palliative case in the community
Where to find us
We are located on Wards C1 and C3 on Level Two at Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital.
Key Staff
Dr Marie Greenhalgh - OPRA Lead Consultant
Marie O'Neill - Matron
Laura Ashworth - Ward Manager
Dr Nicholas Roberts - Clinical Director, Medicine for Older People
Catherine Taurozzi - Directorate Manager for Medicine for Older People
Kathryn Thomson - Deputy Directorate Manager for Medicine for Older People
Opening times
Older Persons’ Rapid Assessment Unit:
Monday to Friday: 07:30 – 18:30
Weekend and Bank Holidays: 08:00 – 16:00