Big differences in hip referral rates

According to a report in the British Medical Journal, the elderly are less likely to get a specialist referral. Patients over the age of 85 are a third less likely to be referred to specialists for hip pain than those aged 55 to 64 years. The research also showed that people over 85 are around half as likely to be referred for chronicA disease of long duration generally involving slow changes. indigestionDiscomfort after eating..

The differences cannot be explained by GP attitudes alone, as some elderly people may not want to be referred for certain procedures or operations. But the huge differences in referral rates are unlikely to be explained by elderly patients simply not wanting to be referred for specialist care.