Royal College of Physicians; Implementing FallSafe

Over 280,000 patient falls are reported every year from hospitals and mental health units. Falls can cause serious injury and increased healthcare costs. Research has shown that falls can be reduced by 20–30% through multifactorial assessments and interventions. The aim of these assessments and interventions is to identify and treat the underlying reasons for falls, such as muscle weakness, cardiovascular problems, dementia, delirium and medication. However, audits have found low levels of implementation of these assessments and interventions in UK hospitals. The FallSafe project was funded by the Health Foundation, and aimed to ‘close the gap’ between the evidence base for effective care and the care that patients actually receive.