Our recently developed Lothian Falls Prevention and Management Framework launched May 2025.
Background
In the absence of a national strategy, there was a strong desire from representatives across the Lothian health and care systems to develop a Lothian Falls Framework to take forward focused and collaborative falls work. Local drivers for a falls framework include the number of falls presenting at Emergency departments, placing rising demands on services and variable inconsistencies in local falls prevention approaches and responses.
The Falls Framework was developed over an 18-month period with input and feedback from representatives including primary care, all four HSCPs, Acute sector, REAS Scottish Ambulance Service, Public Health Scotland and third sector organisations.
A small group of people with lived experience of falls were also consulted and a full Equality impact assessment carried out with staff, equality network members and public volunteers. Over 300 ideas have been refined and captured into 5 key strategic pillars with 19 commitments.
Framework Implications
The framework provides the opportunity for more collaborative standardised falls prevention approaches across Lothian leading to better patient outcomes, reducing unwarranted variation and improving health inequalities.
Several supporting workstreams are already established, including improved Lothian wide educational resources, consistent intranet and internet messaging for staff and public, establishment of a falls dashboard within tableau and review of the Inpatient Falls policy. Progression of the framework will be supported by an implementation group. The implementation plan and relevant implementation reports will be published on this page when available.
Explore our Framework below and hear from Fiona Huffer, Chief AHP at West Lothian Health and Social Care Partnership, as she shares what the framework means to her — both professionally and personally.
