Physiotherapists should be asking older people about falls whenever they have routine reviews or health checks, as well as if they are admitted to hospital.
Carley King: These NICE quality standards are highly relevant to physiotherapy staff
This is one of the proposals from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), in a draft quality standard for the prevention of falls for older people living in the community.
It suggests that health professionals, including physiotherapists, should also provide older people with an individualised multifactorial intervention if they are assessed to be at risk of falling.
Community engagement
NICE has also published a draft quality standard on community engagement. This states that commissioners should be identifying community assets, such as skills, knowledge and social networks, to help improve wellbeing and reduce health inequalities.
Both documents are open for consultation and the CSP aims to submit responses that are informed by members’ views.
CSP professional adviser Carley King said: ‘Both of these quality standards have public health messages and are highly relevant to physiotherapy staff.
‘They highlight key areas for quality improvement, so this is an ideal opportunity for physiotherapists to influence what these key areas are.’
Submit your views
Members have until 18 August to submit their views about the community engagement standards, while comments about the falls prevention standards will be accepted until 22 August.
Author: Robert Millett
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