Lib Dem call for National Falls Strategy

The Scottish Liberal Democrats have renewed calls for a national falls strategy after figures revealed the majority of unintentional injuries among over-65s were due to falls. The party's health spokesman Alex Cole-Hamilton said there had been no progress on such a strategy since proposals were put to ministers a year ago.

A framework for the prevention and management of falls in the community - developed as part of the national falls programme - was published in 2014 but the Lib Dems said it did not include key areas such as the provision to grit streets on icy days or installing hand rails on hills.

The fresh call for a strategy follows the publication last week of official data on unintentional injuries.

In 2016/17 there were 25,144 emergency admissions to hospital for an unintentional injury in those aged 65 and over, with 21,333, or 85%, of these being the result of a fall.

The figure was up from 16,523 a decade ago.

The rate of falls in those aged 65 and over has also increased from 19.5 per 1,000 in 2007/08 to 21.4 in 2016/17.

Mr Cole-Hamilton said: When I chaired the Scottish Older People's Assembly, I was shocked to learn that their greatest concern wasn't money or loneliness but a fear of falling and not being able to get up again.

These new figures show these fears are well justified with falls resulting in hospitalisations increasing dramatically in recent years.

In a parliamentary vote, the Scottish Government accepted my calls for a new national falls strategy to address these concerns but so far we have seen no progress.

We need to ensure that a new design for life is developed, with detailed plans to reduce falls and make our communities more open and welcoming for those at risk.''