Research impacts into reality underpinning Falls Prevention and Bone Health Strategy supporting hospital to community focus

Introduction

Locally we have the highest percentage of people aged over 65 and highest admissions due to falls in Greater Manchester. The impacts for practice recommendations from the Ethnographic study of experiences of falls in domestic settings and the use of ambulance services, found the need to raise public awareness and understanding of falls risk and provide ambulance crew with falls prevention training.

Methods

In 2018-2022, the strategy was developed by a partnership collaboration. It was launched in 2022, drawing on the evidence-base, specialist knowledge and learning within the system and provides a wider public health approach. A dashboard was developed to collect data for evaluation on multiple areas listed below. Comprehensive Falls assessment training was provided to several services in health and social care; two yearly clinical audit was undertaken to ensure the falls assessment were in line with NICE guidance.

Results

We now have 3 years data available on the following:

• Number of people assessed and completed the Falls case finding, assessment & interventions
• Two yearly clinical audit of Falls assessment against NICE guidance
• Case studies
• Council Services data monitoring trends in uptake of equipment/adaptations and reablement on functional ability following a fall
• Hospital admissions
• Hospital avoidance
• Inpatient harms
• Quality in patient audit

Ambulance falls pathway was developed in 2011, in 2015 audit found 42% of patient seen were referred. Following the study in 2020 all local crew were provided training. Reaudit later in 2020 found 84% of patients seen were referred. Since then, Northwest Ambulance Service (NWAS), have designed and made falls training mandatory.

Conclusion

We have extensive data demonstrating the work undertaken in the community to prevent injurious falls and admissions. We now plan to refresh the strategy focusing on upstream prevention with continued focus at all levels.