Falls (health and wellbeing needs in South Tyneside)

For the latest data and trends related to falls in South Tyneside, see:

Fingertips: Public health profiles: Falls

South Tyneside currently has 29,300 people or 19.6% of its population that is over age 65.

• If one in three people over the age of 65 will fall in one year, that is 9,669 people who will fall this year.
• Nearly 1,000 of those will require medical attention.

The Community Falls Service is a shared service with Sunderland. One full-time Band 7 and one part-time Band 3 employees are dedicated to South Tyneside. The Band 7 also provides one day a week at the Galleries in Washington. Services provided in fiscal year 2015 - 2016 included:

• Screening 3084 referrals and A&E visitors.
• Providing assessments to 502 individuals in the outpatient clinic and in their place of residence.
• There has been a 5 to 10 week wait for assessment throughout the year.
• Providing 73 follow up visits in the community.
• Providing monthly fall prevention training to care home employees and managers.
• Starting a vestibular assessment and rehabilitation weekly clinic due to previously unrecognised need. There is currently an 8 week wait for assessment.
• This does not take into account unreported falls by people who may not seek help, who are treated by other providers and not referred, or who decline a referral.

The South Tyneside District Hospital has audited their rate of inpatient falls and participated in the National Audit of Inpatient Falls.

• The national average rate of falls for inpatients is 6.63 per 1000 bed days.
• The Northeast average rate of falls for inpatients is 8.09 per 1000 bed days.
• The South Tyneside District Hospital's average rate of falls is 10.66 per 1000 bed days. This places the hospital at fourth highest rate of falls in the nation.