NHS CPFT Falls Prevention

A fall can be harmful to your physical health, and it can be emotionally and mentally traumatic too. A fall is always a cause for concern and should be taken seriously. If you have fallen one or more times at home or out and about, you may benefit from a falls risk assessment.

Falls can be caused by many factors, so a detailed assessment explores what might have caused the fall and what can be done to prevent it happening again. For example, if your eyesight is the reason you fell, an appointment with an optician might be needed. Or if it is because of your feet, you could contact a podiatrist. Mobility aids, home repairs or attending classes to improve your strength and balance could also help prevent another fall. The aim is always to ensure that you start to feel safe and confident moving about, and can get on with your life.

Cambridgeshire & Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust’s (CPFT) Community Rehabilitation team work closely with Healthy You to deliver Falls Prevention assessments and interventions. If you have fallen one or more times and are having difficulties managing day to day tasks, then you can ask your GP, community warden, district nurse or another professional for a referral to CPFT’s Community Rehabilitation team.

Alternatively, if you have fallen one or more times, but are managing well with daily tasks and can get out and about, a falls risk assessment by Healthy You may be more appropriate. Healthy You can also support you if you haven’t fallen, but you are feeling unsteady on your feet or are fearful of falling – find out more on this link.

If you do not wish to have a formal assessment, you can use the Steady On Your Feet online self-assessment tool to help you identify if you are at risk of falling. You will find lots of simple tips to stay active, independent, and safe during your everyday activities whilst reducing your risk of falls.

Strength & Balance exercises can be an effective way to reduce your risk of having a fall – you can find out about online classes and in person classes in your area here.

There’s useful information about falls prevention on this link to the ROSPA website.

This service is free.