ConGens’ Role in the Frailty Advisory Workstream
As part of the NHS Black Country Integrated Care Board’s five year programme to strengthen and transform primary care, ConGens was selected alongside Dudley Crossroads and the Ethnic Minority Council (EMC) to support the development of the Frailty priority area. Following the re establishment of the Clinical Design Reference Group (CDRG), the ICB created Task and Finish Groups to explore how primary care can work in more responsive, equitable and person centred ways.
ConGens was appointed as the lead organisation for the Frailty Advisory Group, responsible for gathering community insight and feeding findings directly into the Frailty Task and Finish Group.
Over a five week period, ConGens, Dudley Cross Roads and the EMC delivered a series of group and one to one consultations across the Black Country, engaging residents from diverse backgrounds, ages and cultures. These conversations explored key questions that included:
- How do people understand the word “frailty”?
- What is the best way to identify when someone is becoming frail?
- Do people know how to access support for someone who is frail?
The responses were rich, varied and often surprising. Many participants associated frailty with ageing, while others linked it to sudden changes in mobility, confidence or mental wellbeing. A recurring theme was that people often recognised frailty too late, when a crisis had already occurred. Awareness of available support was inconsistent, with many unsure where to turn until problems became severe.
These insights are now helping the CDRG shape a more proactive approach to frailty, including the development of a Frailty Register designed to identify needs earlier and offer support before health deteriorates. ConGens’ work ensures that community voices, particularly those seldom heard, are central to designing a system that is fairer, earlier and more responsive to real world experience. We would like to thank those in the community who allowed us to visit and record their views which has provided valuable insights into peoples thinking and experience on this important issue.