Following the success of the Falls Response Service, partners in the county have committed to developing a two-year pilot ‘Strength and Balance Programme’ to support falls prevention in Lincolnshire.
Lincolnshire County Council joined other partners at an Ambulance Service Summit to look at achievements over the past few years and plans for further developments and improvements to urgent and emergency response services.
“Our proposed Strength and Balance Programme will build on the success of the Falls Response Service to prevent people from falling in the first place” said Councillor Mrs Patricia Bradwell, Deputy Leader of Lincolnshire County Council. “It’s a win-win for everyone – if it prevents people from falling in the first place then it means people stay out of hospital and the possibility of needing even further more permanent support. And it means the Ambulance Service will have reduced calls and can deal with serious emergencies.
“Keeping older people mobile and as fit as possible will be an important part in our plans. Falls prevention exercise programmes will deliver tailored support from qualified instructors to people at risk of falling, using weekly classes at community venues and in the home.
“We also want to look at innovative approaches to managing falls through technology, building on some of the support we are providing for older people to keep them safe and well and independent in their own homes. There are closer links we can make with equipment services, better referrals to lifestyle services and the ULHT frailty team, as well as providing more mental health support.”
Developments over the last few years which are making their mark for vulnerable residents in Lincolnshire, include:
- Following a successful pilot, a Falls Response Service has been commissioned for 3 years through joint funding by Lincolnshire County Council and Lincolnshire Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs). The service provides three falls’ teams across the county with specially equipped vehicles and equipment to be able to perform diagnostics, lift patients from the floor, with emergency treatment if necessary. It consistently assists over 200 elderly patients a month and directs patients to a wide range of support services to prevent further falling.
- Bariatric response – Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue work with Adult Social Care and East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS), where help is needed lifting or moving a casualty and their medical condition is deteriorating. The patient is usually taken to hospital or repositioned to improve their medical care.
- Community Emergency Medicine Services (CEMS) – LIVES operate as three mobile teams across the county of clinical staff, supported by a doctor based in the EMAS control room. It addresses long delays in response to fallers in the urgent care system and the consequences of this.
- Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue continues to deliver a co-responder scheme, supporting EMAS in responding promptly to the most urgent cases.
- A phone based Clinical Assessment System (CAS) provides advice to the public (via 111 calls), residential care and nursing places (via dedicated number) reducing the need for inappropriate A&E visits or 999 calls.
- Clinical streaming continues to be developed in United Lincolnshire Hospitals and increasingly high numbers of people are being directed out of A&E to a dedicated primary care team.
- EMAS and Lincolnshire Police are working increasingly well together with both parties sharing resources – for example Mental Health Nurses are employed by both services.
“We have made great strides as a working group of partners over the past few years” added Councillor Bradwell. “Our Falls Response Service in particular has received national recognition for its success. We need strong partnership action to take this forward and it’s good to see we are all committed making these improvements for the benefit of the people of Lincolnshire.”
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