£72,000 scheme to help keep vulnerable people safe from falls

Hartlepool Borough Council is to develop a new in-house service to start from April as part of an overhaul of the current complicated system which has led to a long list of people waiting months for help.

Since April 2013, the council has been responsible for contracting fall prevention services under its new public health duties, while the local clinical commissioning group (CCG) commissioned treatment services for fall victims.

The current contract is provided by North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust but it expires at the end of March and there is no opportunity to extend it.

This falls service provided treatment programmes in the patient’s own home or an agreed venue with support including physiotherapy, to help strength and balance, equipment and home adaptations, general advice and support, an assessment of function and assessment of need for social care provision and where appropriate, referral to a falls clinic.

But a council-led review of the falls service between 2014-15 highlighted issues with the arrangement of the current service including demand outweighing supply.

There are currently about 250 clients waiting more than 21 weeks.

It also flagged up a lack of clarity on various organisations’ roles and responsibilities, high contract costs and lack of data on results.

Under the new model the service will be incorporated into the council’s Adult Social Care teams that work closely with health colleagues.

A new roles of a falls educator to work with referrers and a falls and triage support role are due to be created to make sure clients are directed to the right people and bring down the waiting list.

The hospital trust has indicated that it would be willing to consider supporting the new model by providing trained staff, on secondment.

A council report stated: “The service will focus on Home Hazard Assessment and Intervention, exercise programmes in extended care settings such as residential care homes, encouraging the participation of older people in falls prevention programmes and delivery of education and information giving.”

Annual public health funding for the new-look service was approved by the council’s Finance and Policy Committee.

Councillor Carl Richardson said: “This is money well spent and is going to save a lot more than £70,000 a year.

“It is estimated it can reduce hospital costs such as a hip replacement which is an average of £5,000.”