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Barnsley Specialist community falls service
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About the service
The specialist community falls service provides high quality falls assessments, interventions and advice to people living in their own homes or care homes. Assessments are timely and comprehensive and are delivered at a location most suited to the patient – for example in their own home rather than in a clinical setting.
The service aims to prevent falls from occurring, where possible, by training staff in the use of tools and assessment to minimise the impact of a fall and to offer advice and appropriate managing techniques for those who have already fallen.
Why would someone choose the service?
- The specialist community falls service offers assessment and therapy in a variety of settings across Barnsley to meet patients’ needs
- Staff within the service have the knowledge and skills to provide excellent outcomes and recovery
- We have excellent links and joint working with other professionals such as physiotherapy teams, speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, dietitians and doctors
- The service offers various modes of therapy delivery e.g. individual treatment, fall prevention exercise programmes
- We ensure that care provided puts the person first and in the centre, taking all factors into consideration in our approach to treatment
- Individuals can self -refer to the service, allowing timely access to advice and assessment
Staff you may meet
- Administrative staff provide essential support to doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals. This can be in a variety of different settings, with administrators working as a receptionist in a clinic or a clerk on a ward. They may also be working closely with a consultant as a medical secretary.
- Physiotherapists help people to improve their range of movement in order to promote health and well being. This can help people to live more independently.
Why a professional should choose the service
- Support people to remain safe/active and independent in their own homes
- Improve physical function and reduce pain
- Excellent allied health professionals network for referral on/shared working(part of Barnsley Therapy Services – www.barnsleytherapy.co.uk)
- Prompt response to urgent referrals
- A central point of referral for falls via the falls coordinator
- Highly skilled and trained workforce
- Flexible and adaptable workforce
- Patient-centred, holistic approach to treatment which takes all factors into account
- Assessments offered in a location and time suitable to the patient’s needs
- A range of interventions including individual treatment, exercise programmes and equipment provision
- Reduction in costs to the commissioner in the reduction of falls and fractures
- Reduction in mortality ( In the 75+, falls are the highest cause of death and disability)
- Monthly contact and assessment outcomes
- Training and advice to health and social care provider, improving knowledge and patient care
Support offered
Examples of treatment options include:
- Provision of equipment to improve patient safety e.g. grab rails, raised toilet seat etc
- Falls prevention exercise programme
- Postural correction
- Acupuncture
- Pacing techniques
- Facilitate onward referral to other specialist services
- Fracture prevention interventions
In addition, the service also provides:
- The therapy input into the Rapid Access Clinic which provides specialist therapy support and exercise groups in a variety of community settings
- Falls and bone health assessment to community patients living in their own home or care homes
- Training to Trust staff about falls and bone health
- Awareness training
- Specialist falls and bone health training for staff responsible for completing a multi-factorial falls assessment and interventions
- Training to care home staff as requested
- Information and advice on patient management to healthcare professionals and care home staff and managers
- Education to patients and carers about falls and bone health
- Liaison with other services and providers to deliver integrated falls and bone health service
- Participation and support for safeguarding issues
- Provision of hip protectors
- Telephone assessment/advice
- Direct assessment or therapy with an individual
- Supporting self-care/management
Outcomes
- Full recovery
- To enable a client to reach their potential and maintain independence
- Fall and fracture prevention
- Improved physical health
- Self-management of any underlying long-term/ musculoskeletal condition
- Reduce fear of falling
- Reduce mortality due to the outcome of a fall
- Decrease overall local NHS costs by reducing patient falls and fractures
- Staff training to provide healthcare/social professional and carers with information and advice to improve interventions impacting on the patients care and quality of life
Referrals accepted from:
A & E, AHPs, Carers/family, Consultants, GP staff, GPs, Local authority staff, Patients(self-referral)
Referral criteria:
- Any adult at risk of falls and fracture
- Rapid Access clinic – patients are seen with 72 hours(GP referral only to this service)
- Urgent falls assessment – patients are seen within 5 working days
- Routine multi-factorial falls assessment and intervention – (as per service criteria 5-10 working days)
- Individualised care plans
- Ongoing review as identified through an assessment
Exclusions:
- Patients under the age of 18 years
- Long-term rehabilitation needs – these patients will be referred to the appropriate physiotherapy service e.g. community physiotherapy, neurological outpatient service