Rockwood Clinical Frailty Scale
Global frailty judgement (1–9).
What it is for
Frailty identification and anticipatory care planning.
Use the working calculator
The working Rockwood Clinical Frailty Scale calculator is on our calculators page. It is free and needs no account. Enter the values and it shows the result with the reading that goes with it.
The calculators are free. The trial opens the protocols and pathways they link to.What you enter
The calculator asks for one item.
- Clinical Frailty Scale levelOptions: 1 — Very fit; 2 — Fit / well; 3 — Managing well; 4 — Living with very mild frailty (vulnerable); 5 — Mildly frail (needs help with IADLs); 6 — Moderately frail (help with outside + some inside ADLs); 7 — Severely frail (dependent for personal care); 8 — Very severely frail (approaching end of life); 9 — Terminally ill (life expectancy < 6 months)
How the result is read
The result is shown as CFS, out of a maximum of 9.
The calculator reads each total as follows. Where a single answer changes the reading (for example sex, age or one extreme value), the working calculator says so.
| Total | Band | What the calculator says |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 3 | Not frail | Health promotion; no frailty intervention needed. CFS 1–3. |
| 4 | Vulnerable | Optimise activity, nutrition, medication review; monitor. CFS 4 — pre-frail. |
| 5 to 6 | Mild–moderate frailty | Comprehensive geriatric assessment; medication review (STOPP/START); falls & bone health; care planning. CFS 5–6. |
| 7 to 9 | Severe frailty | Anticipatory / advance care planning; ceiling-of-treatment discussion; deprescribe; community support. CFS 7–9. |
Sources
These are the sources the calculator cites. Check the current version before relying on a threshold.
Related
For qualified clinicians. A score supports a clinical decision and does not make it: check the inputs, read the cited source, and use the tools in your clinical system for patient care where one is provided.