Research shows phone call to elderly patients recently discharged could slash ...

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A quick phone call to elderly patients recently discharged from hospital could slash readmission rates by nearly half, research shows.

Emergency readmissions place a major strain on the NHS, with 865,000 patients a year rushed to A&E within just a month of being discharged.

And the problem is particularly acute among elderly patients, with 15 per cent readmitted, often due to avoidable accidents such as falls or issues with medication.

But experts at Aston University in Birmingham suggest a phone call from a community nurse could help to ensure elderly patients do not return within a month.