The 24/7 falls team at the Patient Safety AwardsCongratulations to our 24/7 falls free care team who were finalists at this years’ Patient Safety Awards, held in Manchester last month. 

Now in its eight year, the Patient Safety Awards continue to recognise and reward outstanding practice within the NHS and independent healthcare organisations. This year saw fierce competition with over 650 submissions, of which only 70 projects were shortlisted. The 24/7 falls free care team presented their work to a specialist judging panel made up of senior and influential figures from the health sector.

The trust wide falls improvement project became one of the main work streams in March 2016 as part of our wider patient safety programme. The main aims are to reduce trust falls by 25% and reduce harm from falls by 20% by March 2018, with ten clinical areas across the trust taking part.

Cornelia Rowe, nursing assistant from 8 West ward and falls champion said: “Attending the Patient Safety Awards was a brilliant way to engage with other organisations and people who have worked hard to improve patient safety and care quality. It was a great opportunity to share and celebrate all our hard work as a team. I felt honoured to be part of an organisation that was nominated and witness the recognition and rewards for some outstanding practice in the NHS.”

Our 24/7 falls free care programme is based on the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s evidence-based model for improvement, ‘Breakthrough Series Collaborative’. Key elements include local (ward-based) falls data collection, tests of change for improvement, and collaborative multi-disciplinary team (MDT) working. The MDT falls leads and champions from all ten clinical areas get together once every three months to share their experiences and successes, learn from one another and then return to their wards with plans for improvement and measurement.

For more information on the 24/7 falls free care workstream, please contact Geetika Singh on geetika.singh@nhs.net or Sarah Rigby on sarah.rigby@nhs.net.

ENDS

Notes to editors

Media contacts: rf.mediaenquiries@nhs.net or call 020 7472 6665

About the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust

The Royal Free began as a pioneering organisation and continues to play a leading role in the care of patients. Our mission is to provide world class expertise and local care. In the 21st century, the Royal Free London continues to lead improvements in healthcare.

The Royal Free London attracts patients from across the country and beyond to its specialist services in liver and kidney transplantation, haemophilia, renal care, HIV, infectious diseases, plastic surgery, immunology, Parkinson's disease, vascular surgery, cardiology, amyloidosis and scleroderma and we are a member of the academic health science partnership UCLPartners.

In July 2014 Barnet Hospital and Chase Farm Hospital became part of the Royal Free London. Read 'A bigger trust, a better future'.