New NHS initiative to catch people when they fall

People in the Rochdale Borough who are aged over 65 and have fallen at home can now avoid being taken to hospital unnecessarily.

A new falls prevention initiative, which is being delivered by Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust in collaboration with North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust (NWAS), means NWAS paramedics can now arrange for Pennine Care’s community-based staff to provide care and support at home.

After assessing every patient on the scene, to ensure that community-based care is appropriate, paramedics can quickly and easily refer them to Pennine Care’s community services. Anyone who has received a serious injury will continue to be taken to hospital.

Following the referral, a package of care and support will be developed and agreed based on the patient’s needs, and this can be delivered by a range of health professionals, including nurses, occupational therapists and physiotherapists. When necessary, care can be provided within two hours of the referral, for example if the patient has an urgent medical need or is very distressed following their fall and can’t be left alone.

A key role of the service is to reduce the risks of recurrent falls, which are common. Staff work closely with people who have had a fall to look at the safety their home environment, for example tripping hazards and clutter; arrange exercise classes if necessary, for example to improve balance; and generally ensure people have the right care and support in place.

Lorraine Ganley, Senior Manager at Pennine Care, is responsible for co-ordinating the service. She said: “The Trust is doing a huge amount of work to help people avoid having to go to hospital unnecessarily. Often people who have fallen at home do not need to go to accident and emergency and our staff have the skills to help them avoid this.

“Not only is providing care in the community often more appropriate than in hospital, patient feedback tells us that people much prefer to be cared for at home, meaning they have a better experience overall. Other benefits of the service include reducing the risks of people injuring themselves in future and helping them to stay independent.”

Mark Newton, Consultant Paramedic for NWAS, said: “This is another pioneering, collaborative project that will provide patients who are prone to falling with improved quality, continuity, and standards of care.

He added: “The scheme will ensure that, where appropriate, people will remain in their own home, providing reassurance for them and avoiding a trip to hospital. All NWAS paramedics, working within the area covered by the project, have been fully trained on the scope of this project, as people’s health and wellbeing remains of paramount importance to us.”

Over the coming months, Pennine Care and NWAS will continue working together to look at offering a similar service for other illnesses and injuries to further reduce the number of people taken to hospital unnecessarily.