National Audit of Inpatient Falls 2015

Inpatient falls are common and remain a great challenge for the NHS. Falls in hospital are the most commonly reported patient safety incidents, with more than 240,000 reported in acute hospitals and mental health trusts in England and Wales every year (that is over 600 a day). All falls, even those that do not result in injury, can cause older patients and their family to feel anxious and distressed. For those who are frail, minor injuries from a fall can affect their physical function, resulting in reduced mobility, and undermining their confidence and independence. Some falls in hospital result in serious injuries, such as hip fracture (more than 3,000 per year) and serious head injuries, and these injuries can result in death. Falls in hospitals are financially expensive, as they increase the length of stay and may require increased care costs upon discharge. In 2007, inpatient falls were thought to cost trusts alone £15 million, and will be more expensive now. Tackling the problem of inpatient falls is challenging. There are no single or easily defined interventions which, when done on their own, are shown to reduce falls. However, research has shown that multiple interventions performed by the multidisciplinary team and tailored to the individual patient can reduce falls by 20–30%. These interventions are particularly important for patients with dementia or delirium, who are at high risk of falls in hospitals.