SCAS receives around 3,000 emergency calls a month for falls and frailty
The ambulance service is using a dedicated vehicle to treat patients of falls and frailty in their own homes
South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) is using a dedicated vehicle to treat patients of falls and frailty in their own homes, which helps free-up some ambulances to respond to other emergency incidents.
The local ambulance service has also launched a month long campaign to raise awareness of falls and frailty, with calls to the trust’s 999 service from such patients now totalling around 3,000 every month.
Figures show, across the UK each year, ambulance services respond to approximately 700,000 emergency calls related to falls among patients aged 65 and over, accounting for about 10% of all 999 calls.
Falls amongst this age group are estimated to cost the NHS over £2.3 billion annually, with the vast majority of expenditure related to hip fractures.
It can also have a devastating impact on the lives of older individuals, leading to serious injuries, loss of independence and a decreased quality of life.
Jon Lloyd, specialist practice manager at SCAS, said: “Falls in older adults often result from a combination of intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Intrinsic factors include muscle weakness, poor balance, visual impairments and the side effects of certain medications. Extrinsic factors encompass environmental hazards, such as poor lighting, slippery floors and unsecured rugs.”
“Addressing those wide-ranging causes requires a multifaceted approach, one of which is the falls and frailty services that SCAS has developed with our partners in Hampshire, Berkshire and Oxfordshire. Through working together more closely, we can improve the response strategies of emergency and wider NHS and social care services to this large cohort of patients and develop preventative measures.”
A dedicated vehicle is being used by the service which allows patients to be treated in their own homes, whilst freeing up ambulances to attend other emergencies.
The car also allows the team to carry adaptive equipment to support and facilitate therapeutic interventions and assessments.
It's in partnership between SCAS, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (HHFT).
Maddie Jones, falls car lead at Hampshire & Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, said: “The frailty practitioners bring a wealth of frailty expertise from therapy and nursing backgrounds. When they can identify why a fall has occurred, they are able to immediately implement preventative and educational strategies to prevent further falls and the likelihood of serious injuries occurring. When a fall is unexplained, they can investigate further including carrying out instant point of care diagnostic blood tests.”
“The ability to access such clinical expertise means a ‘hospital at home’ treatment plan can be immediately created on scene. If additional support is required to enable treatment to continue at home, referrals to local authority adult services, community reablement and rapid response service can also be made immediately.
“Finally, if there are additional medical concerns that need assessment, it can be arranged for the patient to be seen by the Frailty Same Day Emergency Care team at Hampshire Hospitals for specialist, frailty-focused care.”