Breaking the fall

This year's Falls Awareness Week is June 20-24 and Age Concern is focusing on the link between eyesight and falls with sight tests being offered free by the NHS for over 60s these falls could be reduced.

I am pleased to see that the College of Optometrists accepts that visual processing can be associated with balance problems and consequent falls and is recommending supplementary single-vision (distance vision) spectacles be worn outdoors and when negotiating steps as recommended by an Australian study last year. However, as the NHS will not fund 'extra' pairs of specs, this is unlikely to become common practice.

In 2010/11, the South West Ambulance Trust attended approximately 39,000 patients who had fallen at home, in a public place or community care facility. Current conveyance rates to hospital of around 40 per cent result in approximately 23,400 patients remaining at home falls represent 9.4 per cent of total 999 activity. Significant benefits to the wider NHS are achievable if patients receive an early and appropriate assessment. Potential benefits include an improved patient outcome and reduced emergency department attendances. If the worst happens and the patient fractures a hip, new emerging pathways have the potential to further improve the patient experience.