Learning from practice
Bucks Agewell - health promotion, falls prevention
| Organisation: | Bucks PCT and Bucks County Council Social Care |
| Contact: | Catherine Erbetta Falls Prevention Coordinator Bucks PCT 01494 426995 Catherine.erbetta@buckshosp.nhs.uk |
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A range of partnership working which relates to health promotion for older people, including physical activity and falls prevention in older people Brief description Bucks Agewell is a multi-agency group, instigated and chaired by the PCT, responsible for health promotion for older people. Projects include the employment of an Affordable Warmth Coordinator, the provision of assistance to keep gardens tidy and safe, Handy van and Safer Homes schemes, organised walks with trained volunteer leaders and the provision of Senior Wellbeing Fairs across the county. The fairs bring together displays from a wide range of statutory and voluntary agencies working with older people. A slipper exchange is offered following a falls risk assessment and the provision of advice and information about avoiding falls. Walking stick ferrule replacement as necessary is also available. The PCT works with Bucks County Council Social Care and a local leisure organisation to provide Get Fit, Avoid Falls programmes of progressive strength and balance training exercise and education. The initial programme of 12 weeks is followed by 24 weeks of exercise and then assimilation into a community exercise programme tailored for the needs of older people for whom general exercise facilities are not appropriate. LPSA2, now subsumed into LAA, provided the opportunity to fund a Falls Prevention Coordinator, employed by the PCT, to facilitate the implementation of the Falls Prevention Strategy for integrated falls prevention services across Bucks Under development is a rolling programme of multi-agency, competency-based training in falls prevention, risk assessment and referral for all staff working with older people How are other organisations and/or partnerships involved and what are they contributing ? Social care - funding, expertise, District Councils’ leisure, environmental health and housing departments - funding, staff, premises PCT – time, staff, expertise, leadership, premises,facilitation, administration Evidence you have of the impact on patients’ health and/or experiences Get Fit, Avoid Falls is positively evaluated both in terms of patient experience but also in physical outcome measures. Senior Wellbeing Fairs are very positively evaluated by older people attending Any other benefits ? All partnership working has ‘spin-off’ benefits of better understanding, development of further collaborations What support from your PCT or elsewhere is critical to success of this initiative? Coordination, facilitation, partnership building, administration are offered by the PCT Funding from Social Care is vital to parts of the work Problems or obstacles to progress – and suggested solutions Problems of moving from project status to mainstream are well-known but remain, especially given financial restraints. Organisations offer time, staff, expertise etc in lieu of funding. Categories for this entry: Disease prevention Falls Fitness Promotion of health / well being Older people PCT / local authority Community and social care |
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