Powys

1. Powys Epidemiology 2010 2015 ? Estimated incidence of falls and prevention of falls

2. What can Powys Health Board do to prevent the 2015 prediction from becoming a reality? • Stand up against falling down • Too many people believe that falling is an inevitable part of ageing. It is not. NHS professionals and the general public need to be taught that falls can be prevented. • Stop never fallers from becoming ever fallers • One of the simplest and most effective methods of falls prevention is exercise to improve strength and balance. Delivered at a population level, this can help to prevent people who have never fallen from falling. • Take a proactive approach to risk assessment • Current NHS approaches wait for people to fall and hurt themselves before seeking to manage risk. By carrying out annual risk assessments in primary care, fall risk factors can be identified and modified before an injury occurs. This means that the burden of emergency care on the NHS is reduced. • Take a ‘one day sooner’ approach to fallers admitted to hospital • Lengths of stay following a fall are long and place a significant burden upon the NHS. Analysis of admissions data suggest that reducing lengths of stay by just one day can reduce the NHS burden substantially. • Ensure that current practice is good practice Estimated incidence of falls and prevention of falls