Review of integrated care: focus on falls

Author(s)

HEALTHCARE INSPECTORATE WALES

Publisher(s):

Healthcare Inspectorate Wales

Publication year:

2019

Based on a review of integrated care for older people who are at risk of experiencing a fall in Wales, this report highlights learning for staff and for health and social care managers. It focuses on services to help people avoid a fall and how to support people who have had a fall, providing examples of desirable and undesirable pathways through the health and care system. It focuses on the three areas: prevention of falls and promotion of independence, for people living in their own home or in a care home; response to falls when they happen in the community, either for someone living at home or in a care home; and following attendance at hospital due to a fall. It also highlights key themes identified from the review and how the affected service users, service providers and commissioners. The review identified examples of good practice but also found a lack of co-ordination and communication between health, social care and voluntary services could often be a barrier to delivering good quality care. The report has been informed by evidence from six individual falls services, the views of staff and older people. It makes eight recommendations for the Welsh Government, health boards and local authorities. The include a National Falls Framework for Wales, to standardise the approach to preventing, treating and reabling older people who are at risk of falling or have already fallen The report will be relevant for service providers, commissioners and service users. (Edited publisher abstract)