National Audit of Inpatient Falls 2017

The National Audit of Inpatient Falls (NAIF) is designed to capture data from acute, community and mental health hospitals relating to falls, and is based on NICE guidance and advice from NHS Improvement (NHSI). Hospital inpatients in England experienced a quarter of a million falls during the year 2015/16.1 These were spread across acute, community and mental health hospitals. Falls are commonly reported patient safety incidents and result in:  over 2,500 hip fractures2  loss of confidence and slower recovery, even when physical harm is minimal  distress to families and staff  litigation against hospital trusts  overall costs to hospitals of £630 million per year. Acute illness, particularly in frail older people or those recovering from serious injury or surgery, increases the risk of a fall in hospital. Patients are vulnerable to delirium, dehydration and deconditioning, all of which affect balance and mobility, especially in unfamiliar surroundings. The majority of falls occur among medical inpatients during the first few days after admission. These circumstances mean that not all falls are preventable. However, successful implementation of guidance from NICE may prevent 20–30% of falls.4 Prevention depends upon prompt assessment to identify potential risk factors, followed by clinical responses to ameliorate their effects. This is a complex task requiring a multidisciplinary team approach. One patient may require several individually tailored interventions. It also requires a patient safety approach throughout the organisation, with practical support such as walking aids being always available, a culture of reliable incident reporting, and clear accountability and commitment from senior leaders. The National Audit of Inpatient Falls (NAIF) was designed to capture all these elements. It is based on NICE guidance and advice from NHS Improvement (NHSI).