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This national falls summit focuses on reducing inpatient falls, and harm from inpatient falls. Through national updates, practical case studies and learning from the 2020 National Audit of Inpatient Falls report (interim report published May 2021). The conference will provide a step by step guide to implementing the multiple interventions that have been proven to reduce falls in your service.
“Falls are the most common incident affecting hospital inpatients, and one of their most serious consequences is a hip fracture.”
“Inpatient hip fractures were associated with a greater risk of institutionalisation and higher mortality compared to hip fractures sustained out of the hospital; reflecting the fact that inpatients tend to be frailer or more acutely unwell. However, better post fall management could improve outcomes for this patient group.”
“Falls are the most frequently reported incident affecting hospital inpatients, with 247,000 falls occurring in inpatient settings each year in England alone. 1 Reported falls among older patients are more likely to result in some degree of harm and, where harm does occur, it is three times more likely to be severe. 1 One such severe harm is hip fracture. It is the commonest reason for emergency surgery and injury related death in older people. Inpatient falls are costly, even where life-changing injuries are not sustained. Such events lead to increased length of stay, loss of confidence, restriction of physical activity, functional impairment, diminished independence and an increased risk of further falls. All of which affect patients’ quality of life.”
“Patients who fall and fracture their hip in hospital are the ‘oldest old’ and the ‘frailest frail’ and perhaps challenges ideas about where injurious falls occur, with only 21% occurring in elderly care wards. It is therefore essential that all specialties caring for older people need to be fully signed up to falls prevention.”
“Concerning findings relate to immediate post-fall care, which indicated significant issues with staff moving patients without fully assessing for injury, lack of appropriate safe lifting equipment and delays to medical assessment. Not getting things right for this most vulnerable group of patients is a window into how well we manage all patients at risk of falls.”
Benefits of attending
This conference will enable you to:
- Network with colleagues who are working to reduce inpatient falls, and harm from inpatient falls
- Understand the national context including the National Audit of Inpatient Falls move to continuous audit
- Ensure effective implementation and learning from the National Audit of Inpatient Falls
- Improve care for patients by reducing inpatient falls, and harm from inpatient falls in your service
- Reduce falls in older people presenting with frailty
- Learn from trusts who have developed multifaceted inpatient falls prevention programmes that work
- Improve immediate post falls care and management
- Understand how you can reduce harm from inpatient falls particularly focusing on inpatient hip fracture
- Understand the root causes of inpatient falls, and how to investigate an inpatient fall
- Improving practice in the identification and management of people at risk of falls at ward level
- Reflect on case studies to reduce related to medication related falls including hypotension induced by medication, and reducing falls resulting from delirium
- Prevent deconditioning in hospitals to reduce falls
- Self assess and reflect on your own practice
- Gain CPD accreditation points contributing to professional development and revalidation evidence
