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       #Post#: 126--------------------------------------------------
       How to reduce emergency hospital admissions of frail patients?
       By: admini5 Date: May 13, 2015, 4:35 am
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       Falls-related calls make up about 20% of all calls received by
       the East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS); approximately 90,000
       calls per year. Reducing demand on hospitals and the potential
       negative outcomes associated with hospital admission for
       patients and psychological impacts are important priorities.
       EMAS covers several counties with a combined population of 4.8
       million. The solution developed in the Northamptonshire area
       (population 700,000) is the Crisis Response Falls Team (CRFT).
       The CRFT comprises specialist ambulance crews and a social care
       support team.
       The ambulance crews include 7 staff made up of paramedics and
       emergency care assistants who are trained in enhanced diagnosis
       and lifting techniques related to falls. The ambulance control’s
       computer system uses an algorithm to dispatch a CRFT ambulance
       to people who have fallen. The crews use 2 bariatric ambulances
       and specialist lifting equipment to ensure people of any size
       who fall can be helped.
       Enhanced diagnosis and faster access to lifting equipment helps
       to reduce conveyance to hospital and subsequent admissions. The
       service prior to the inception of the CRFT was a standard
       ambulance response, often requiring either a manual lift of a
       person who has fallen, or a further response with appropriate
       equipment. In both cases, a person who had fallen may have been
       left in situ for a significant period of time, causing secondary
       injuries, exacerbating primary injuries and potentially reducing
       quality of life or life expectancy.
       The CRFT social care support team is provided by
       Northamptonshire County Council, under a contract with a social
       care provider. The social care team works with people who have
       fallen, who are referred by the CRFT ambulance crews, other
       clinicians or the local authority. The social care team is able
       to assess people in their own home and identify risk factors for
       repeat falls, remove trip hazards and install aids to help
       reduce the risk of repeat falls. They also attend A&E to assess
       patients and facilitate discharge, undertaking a home visit and
       supporting patients afterwards, thereby avoiding unnecessary
       admissions. Patients may be referred to consultant geriatricians
       for further assessment and support if required.
       For further information, please go to:
  HTML https://arms.evidence.nhs.uk/resources/qipp/1037477/attachment
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