NEWS2: patient score can predict worsening condition in care home residents (NIHR, 27 September 2023)

Summary

The National Early Warning Score (NEWS2) is calculated using routine vital sign measures of temperature, pulse and so on. It is used by ambulance staff and emergency departments to identify sick adults whose condition is likely to deteriorate. 

NEWS2 has been shown to work among the general population. However, it has been unclear if it could monitor the condition of care home residents because of their age, frailty, and multiple long-term conditions.

New research from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) shows that, among care home residents admitted to hospital as an emergency, NEWS2 can effectively identify people whose condition is likely to get worse.