Purpose
Falls and fractures are a common and serious health issue facing the boroughs older generation.
Falls are the main cause of a person losing their independence and requiring long term care. After a fall, the fear of falling can lead to more inactivity, loss of strength, loss of confidence, and a greater risk of further falls and other serious illnesses.
The Borough Based Partnership is supporting initiatives to reduce the level of fallers and prevent avoidable hospital admissions.
The Clinical Falls workstream could also help in reducing the associated costs to the NHS and adult social care.
Same Day Emergency Care to be located at the Ambulatory Emergency Care clinic at West Middlesex Hospital. This clinic opened in September 2021 and operates on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
For those patients over 65 who have a history of falling or have a high frailty score. A same day appointment can be made by the covering geriatrician.
Patients to benefit from a Multi-Disciplinary Team approach, same day investigations and treatment.
SDEC investigations, vital signs, medication review, occupational and physiotherapy service.
Our main goals are:
- To reduce or avoid hospital admissions to patients who have a high frailty score or previous falls history. Who without rapid intervention would be admitted.
- To work as a team to prevent patient being blocked and receiving the best care.
- To ensure referrals are being made via GPs, ICRS or the falls prevention clinic.
- To support the lead Geriatrician by highlighting clinic difficulties to hospital management.
- SDEC to become a permanent clinic at West Mid hospital.
- Promote SDEC within the fall’s prevention programme.
The clinical workstream will be supporting and monitoring clinic management and attendance, via monthly meetings and data collection. Which will include:
- Number of referrals
- Number of patients attended
- Number of patients who did not attend.
- Gender breakdown
- List of referring GPs
- Number of hospital Volunteers booked.
- Transport support
- Clinic oversight/operations
Further SDEC information can be found on the NHS link below:
https://
Next Steps
New Key performance indicators will be added to the list of measures.