Health chiefs hope emergency care for older patients is going to be improved by a new pilot scheme at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

Frail and seriously ill patients can arrive at Accident and Emergency disorientated and unable to provide clinicians with their medical history or medications.

From Monday, March 20, residents from 16 care homes will be accompanied by a red bag, which contains vital medical information and personal belongings.

Chief operating officer Ciara Moore said: 'We are delighted to be working with the 16 care homes along with our colleagues in the East of England Ambulance Service on a project that is going to make a huge difference. Seriously ill patients who are disorientated are not always able to provide a medical history to our doctors and nurses but our teams will now have the full picture thanks to the red bags.'

The idea came from a successful scheme in Surrey. Red bags contain paper work detailing information about the patient's general standard of health along with medical history. The information allows doctors to make informed and quick clinical decisions along with providing smooth and efficient handovers from ambulance crews.

Bags will remain with the patient during their stay at the QEH and also contain personal belongings.

Associate director of patient experience Claire Roberts said: 'The red bag programme is a simple but innovative approach to improving communication between care homes and the hospital when residents are admitted into hospital.

'The paperwork contained within the bag ensures that when the person arrives at the hospital, staff can immediately find out all the vital information they need to know to begin to help the person and commence treatment. It also acts as a flag to ensure our staff keep the Care Home up to date with what is happening and that planning for discharge is undertaken in conjunction with them.

'Overall the red bag project will hopefully lead to improvements in care for people from care homes by improving communication, highlighting patients from care homes to promote a joint approach to planning both care and discharge arrangements, reducing delays and ensuring a smooth transition into and out of the hospital.'