As the proportion of older people in the population rises, health services must continue to develop to meet their special needs. This includes accident and emergency (A&E) services which work at the interface between primary and secondary health care for individuals of all ages. This literature review aimed to answer the following questions:
1) What are the characteristics and special needs of older people in A&E?
2) Which of the current literature describes, evaluates or advocates service initiatives aimed at meeting the needs of older people in A&E?
3) What are the policy implications of the literature reviewed for British A&E services?