Falls Screening Service
Falls and fractures are a common and serious health issue faced by older people. Falling is a cause of distress, pain, injury, loss of confidence, loss of independence and mortality.
- In the UK one in three people aged 65 years and over will experience a fall at least once a year
- In the over 80 age group this rises to one in two people who will experience a fall
- Falls are the most frequent cause of hospitalisation for older people
The reason why a person falls can be due to physical, environmental and medical risk factors. Falling is NOT an inevitable part of getting older. Research has shown that by assessing for risks to an individual and then dealing with each, the risk of having a fall can be reduced and falls prevented.
Falls Prevention Team
If you’ve fallen, or are at risk of falling, you will be offered a ‘home and person’ falls risk screen to identify ways to reduce your risk of further falls, and help you to continue to carry out activities that are important to you.
The Falls Screening service is available to any person over the age of 65 who may have experienced a fall or who is afraid of falling. The service will also refer the patient onward to appropriate services.
Access to this service is via:-
- Northern Ireland Ambulance Service – Patient whom NIAS have attended to with a fall and are deemed not necessary to transfer to an Emergency Department.
- Emergency Departments / Minor Injuries Unit – Patient who attends one of these departments, is treated and discharged (not admitted)
- Self-referrals – Anyone who is concerned about falling or has fallen, or is concerned about a relative falling, can call the Fall Screening service.
- GP – If you are concerned about falling we advise you to speak to your GP in order to exclude medical reasons for your fall and complete a medication review. GP’s are able to refer onto our service if you have concerns re falling
The purpose of a falls risk screen is to:
- listen to what happened and why you think you fell
- identify risk factors that may have contributed to your fall
- agree an action plan with you to reduce your risk of falling, and harming yourself should you fall again
The screen will also include a chat about your bone health as falls are the leading cause of broken bones in older people.
The overall aim is to enable older people to continue to live healthy, safe lives with increased independence. To help achieve this, the service works in partnership with statutory, private and voluntary organisations.
Information on how to help prevent falls and consequent fractures:-
Fear of falling? How you can become more confident
Contact information
Falls Screening Service
Bush House, Antrim Area Hospital Site, BT41 2RL
Telephone: 028 9442 4644
