A partnership project is tackling the high number of falls in housing facilities for older people in Gloucestershire, giving them the opportunity to live independently in their own homes for longer.

Falls are a leading cause of injury and hospital admission among older adults and prevention is crucial in order to support older people to live independently where appropriate.

The Falls in Housing Facilities Project is a partnership project involving NHS Gloucestershire’s Ageing Well Team and the Housing Team at Gloucestershire County Council, together with local housing and care providers.

The initiative has delivered ‘targeted and impactful’ ways to reduce falls among older residents in extra care and sheltered housing settings as well as increasing staff confidence in falls prevention and post-fall care by equipping them with practical skills to respond when falls occur.

Jane Haros, Deputy Director of Nursing – Integrated Commissioning (Health, Care and Communities) at NHS Gloucestershire said:

“This work really shows how targeted interventions, where colleagues work together across the health and care system with other partners, can make a tangible difference to the lives of older people.

It’s about reducing risk, building confidence, and strengthening community care.”

Face-to-face training formed a key part of the project. Staff were trained to spread knowledge to new team members, given access to online resources and encouraged to join the Falls Champion Community of Practice, led by the Care Sector Support Team, which offers ongoing support for Falls Champions who have received the full programme of training.

The training covered key topics such as the causes and prevalence of falls locally, how to reduce the risk of falling, and what to do in the event of a fall. Practical elements included demonstrations and hands-on practice with the Raizer II chair, as well as the backward chaining technique using the FAB (Feet, Arms, Bottom) posture. Participants also learned about simple strength and balance exercises that can help improve physical wellbeing and reduce fall risk.

The project also fostered stronger partnership working across sectors, with housing and care providers actively shaping training content and roll-out.

Jane added:

“This work truly demonstrates how focused interventions, with colleagues collaborating across the health and care system alongside other partners, can make a meaningful difference in the lives of older people.

It is about mitigating risk, fostering confidence, and reinforcing the infrastructure of community care.”

Councillor Dr Kate Usmar, Cabinet Member for Adults’ Support and Independence at Gloucestershire County Council said:

“Falls in older life can be devastating, but there are steps that can be taken to reduce the risk of falling and to minimise harm when a fall does happen.

“This project is a great example of how different organisations working together can make a real difference for people. It shows how teaming up across sectors to share knowledge and expertise really helps residents and staff feel confident and well-informed about how to deal with falls – and how to reduce the risk of them happening in the first place.”

Evaluation of the initiative has shown:

  • A reduction in the average number of ambulance call-outs for falls across the majority of participating facilities
  • 100% of residents felt the course was useful and would make a difference to daily life
  • 95% of staff reported increased knowledge about falls and increased confidence in how to respond to a fall
  • 66% of housing providers expressed interest in joining a Falls Community of Practice to sustain learning.

Jack Daniels, Registered Care Manager at St Oswald’s Retirement Village said:

“We recently received fall prevention training for both staff and residents.

The staff greatly appreciated the session, as they found it valuable to hear directly from the professionals.

Based on the feedback, the training will have a positive impact on our working practices, and we’re pleased to have developed a strong working relationship moving forward.”

For further information about the project please contact Gicb.ageingwell@nhs.net