OLDER people across Northumberland and North Tyneside are set to benefit from the creation of a new medical position.

Northumbria Primary Care, whose six GP practices include Ponteland Medical Group and Haydon Bridge and Allendale Medical Practice, has appointed its first specialist community nurse practitioner for frailty.

Diane Rutherford, who has been a nurse for 30 years, will work with older, more vulnerable, people in the community to ensure they are managing at home and to help avoid them being admitted to hospital where possible.

The primary care is a partnership between Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and local GPs to provide professional support services to primary care.

Diane, who has spent the latter part of her career caring for older people in hospital, said: “It’s so much better for older people to be able to be cared for at home, in familiar surroundings with family and friends on hand, and my role is all about making sure that happens for as many of our patients as possible.

“Of course, if a patient’s condition deteriorates and they need to go to hospital then they should absolutely be there.

“However, as soon as they have recovered sufficiently, we do all we can to get them back where they belong and want to be – home.

“Going into hospital, even for a short time, can be disorientating, even distressing, for anyone. It’s often worse for older patients who suddenly find themselves in an alien environment. This can lead to them having short-term delirium which is not only harmful to them but distressing for family members who are not used to seeing their loved one in this state.

“Having a dedicated role for frailty is an excellent addition to Northumbria Primary Care and means that hundreds of older, more vulnerable, patients can benefit from this resource.”

Diane will work closely with GPs, practice teams and community nurses in each of the practices to identify patients who need extra support, such as those who are at greater risk of falling.

A key part of her role is telephoning patients who have had a spell in hospital to make sure they have the care they need.

She said: “It’s so rewarding working with older people. Having spent my whole career in hospitals, it’s a privilege to be now working in the community seeing patients at home.”