Dr Foster Intelligence welcomes introduction of POA flagging system

Dr Foster Intelligence has welcomed the introduction of a new present on admission (POA) flagging system that will help identify when elderly patients are being neglected in care homes.

The healthcare information solutions provider has been campaigning for a system that will allow NHS staff to make a note of any bedsores that are present when a patient enters care, making it clearer if they were caused by neglect.

To be finalised this autumn, the new setup will also be used to record pre-existing conditions, injuries and infections, with POA information set to start being collected through existing systems immediately as an interim solution.

Following the launch, a period of pilot data capture by ten to 12 NHS trusts will be carried out, allowing the effectiveness of the new system to be gauged.

Dr Foster Intelligence's director of research Roger Taylor said: "This problem would never have emerged if we hadn't spotted holes in NHS trusts' data, which is a compelling argument in favour of complete transparency within the health service."

The organisation wrote to health secretary Andrew Lansley calling for the change earlier this year, with support from various NHS trusts, as well as the Care Quality Commission, Royal College of Nursing and Public Accounts Committee.