A new RCP survey of over 1,700 older people who had attended an NHS-run exercise programme to reduce falls shows that 96% felt the exercises were either beneficial or quite beneficial, and 95% were either satisfied or very satisfied with their exercise programme.
However, responses to the survey indicated that many NHS providers are not delivering completely evidence-based interventions for reducing falls and there is a lack of long term follow-up classes for reducing falls in the community.
This survey was commissioned by the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership (HQIP) and carried out by the Royal College of Physicians’ Clinical Effectiveness and Evaluation Unit (CEEU). It follows on from concerns raised in an earlier programme of work looking at older people’s experiences of falls prevention services in general and complements the findings from the recent report of the national audit of falls and bone health audit in older people 2010. The aim of the project was to obtain patients’ experiences of NHS run therapeutic exercise programmes to reduce falls. The patient questionnaire was supplemented by a survey of staff involved in the delivery of therapeutic exercise.
People in England aged 65 and over spend 4 million days in hospital each year as a result of falls and fractures. Falls and fractures often lead to disability and loss of independence, and are the leading cause of accidental death in this age group. Well-organised services, based on evidence-based national standards, can prevent falls and reduce the risk of disability and death from fractures. Active participation in an evidence-based exercise programme is a key component to a multi-factorial assessment and intervention plan to prevent and manage falls.
Key findings
Many NHS providers are not delivering completely evidence-based interventions for reducing falls.
The implementation of evidence-based exercise interventions by healthcare providers is incomplete and varies widely. Overall, the types of exercises prescribed appear appropriate however, the frequency, intensity and duration of most programmes are low and do not appear to meet recommended guidance:
- 86% of staff report low frequency of their exercise classes (once per week), well below recommended guidance.
- Only 29% of patients returning questionnaires used ankle weights for targeted resistance training to reduce falls.
- Only 52% of patients felt their exercise programme had been progressed.
- 81% of patients attending a class indicated that this had lasted 12 weeks or less.
- 73% of patients supervised at home indicated that their programme lasted for 3 months or less.
Not all staff delivering the exercise programmes to reduce falls are appropriately trained. Only 54% of sites had staff who had completed Postural Stability Instructor training and 41% of sites had staff who have completed Otago training.
There is a lack of long term follow-up classes for reducing falls in the community.
Although 91% of patients said they continued to exercise once their exercise programme finished, patient comments indicated that many are not continuing with evidence-based exercises which will reduce falls.
Evidence shows older people are more likely to continue exercising in a class than on their own at home. However, responses from staff show there is lack of long term follow-up classes in the community that patients can attend. Nine per cent of participating sites had no classes they could encourage patients to attend at the end of their NHS-run exercise programme and only 53% had two or more classes and many of these were not evidence based.
Key recommendations
- Commissioners need to commission a local, integrated exercise continuum across health and local authorities/voluntary sector to ensure long term provision of evidence-based exercise programmes for reducing falls run by appropriately qualified staff.
- The quality of training and delivery of exercise programmes for reducing falls needs to be monitored locally and nationally against the evidence base for delivering effective exercise programmes to reduce falls.
Dr Jonathan Treml, Consultant Geriatrician, University Hospitals Birmingham and RCP Associate Director for the National Audit of Falls and Bone Health said:
The right type of exercise is the single most effective way of reducing the risk of falls in older people. It is concerning that many local NHS services appear to provide exercise programmes that are of insufficient duration or intensity to assure benefit to this vulnerable group.
Jackie Riglin MCSP, Falls Prevention Coordinator and Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist, Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust and RCP Clinical Associate for Falls said:
The positive feedback from participants of the benefits of exercise to them is heartening.
However, it is vital that clinicians, CEOs and commissioners of Falls Prevention Services now work collaboratively to build on this enthusiasm and ensure provision of long term evidence based classes that are specific enough to reduce falls, injuries and hospital admissions and improve quality of life and independence for older people who have fallen.
For further information, please contact Linda Cuthbertson, head of PR, on +44 (0)203 075 1254 / 0774 877 7919, or email Linda.Cuthbertson@rcplondon.ac.uk