#AprilFalls is the perfect time to consider opportunities for improving our internationally recognised strategy for preventing falls in Canterbury.
Injuries from falling over can lead to serious consequences such as hip fractures and loss of independence, and put pressure on our health and social services.
Canterbury’s Falls and Fragility Fracture Prevention Strategy has already been very successful, helping hundreds of older people every year to avoid falling over in their home or when they go into hospital.
Yet in Canterbury we are always looking for ways to transform services so that they are best meeting the needs of people.
The Canterbury health system has been looking into opportunities to improve falls and fragility fracture prevention services and achieve even greater outcomes for our older people.
More than 60 people attended a Falls and Fragility Fracture Prevention Re-Design Workshop at the Design Lab recently to explore opportunities to enhance and better align our strategy to achieve greater outcomes for older people.
Workshop attendees included consumers, primary care, secondary care, St John, aged residential care, CDHB Planning & Funding, NGOs, Canterbury Falls Champions, West Coast Falls Champions and senior staff from the Accident Compensation Corporation.
At the workshop a consumer husband and wife shared their experience of the Canterbury Falls Prevention Programme, along with two health professionals that have referred to the service.
Falls Champions, Heather Bushaway and Ietje van Stolk, also presented case studies from a provider perspective before attendees heard from ACC National Manager Rehabilitation, Gill Hall, on the opportunities for partnership and collective impact.
The workshop aimed to engage system partners in the re-design of our ‘whole of system’ falls and fragility fracture prevention strategy, and celebrate success and collectively identify opportunities to enhance and better align our falls and fragility fracture prevention strategy to achieve greater outcomes for older people.
Click here to view a summary of the key themes captured on the day. These will inform the next steps for redesigning Canterbury’s Falls and Fragility Fracture Prevention Strategy to continue keeping older people well and mobile in their own homes.
