Falls prevention policy directive and toolkit
The Fall and Fall Injury Prevention and Management Policy Directive (PDF 1.3MB) outlines the scope, principles, definitions and responsibilities for effective falls prevention systems.
The fact sheet, Revision of the SA Health Falls and fall injury prevention and management policy directive and guideline (PDF 64KB) describes the key amendments in 2015.
Purpose
The purpose of this policy and toolkit is to establish a consistent, embedded approach to the prevention and management of falls across SA Health services that is:
- in accord with the national guidelines, Preventing falls and harm from falls – best practice for Australian hospitals, residential aged care and community care, 2009 Australian Commission for Safety and Quality in Health Care (ACSQHC)
- supports services to meet ACSQHC National Safety and Quality Health Service Standard 5 Comprehensive Care Standard: Preventing falls and harm from falls Action 5.24, 5.25 & 5.26 accreditation requirements
- supports least restrictive care.
Toolkit
A Guide to using the policy directive and toolkit (PDF 81KB) summarises the purpose and use of the Policy Directive and six main tools in the toolkit.
The toolkit comprises of the following:
Tool 1 - Example Terms of Reference (TOR) for a health service’s Fall Prevention Committee
The Example TOR (PDF 84KB) illustrates how such a committee can lead activities to improve care, reduce risk and meet national safety and quality health services standard requirements.
Tool 2 - When and how to do fall risk screening, assessment, care-planning and discharge planning
When and how to do fall risk screening, assessment, care-planning and discharge planning (PDF 139KB) provides recommendations for these aspects of care, including consumer and carer input.
Tool 3 - Safe use of bed rails
Safe use of bed rails (PDF 186KB) assists SA Health staff to:
- minimise the use of bed rails by using alternative strategies
- minimise any potential harm from unsafe use
- identify when the use of bed rails constitutes a restraint
- when the incident requires reporting into Safety Learning System (SLS).
Tool 4 - Reporting a patient fall incident into SLS – Topic guide
Reporting a patient fall incident into SLS topic guide (PDF 92KB) contains key details for notifying falls incidents and should be read in conjunction with Tool 5.
Tool 5 - Reporting a patient fall incident – frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Reporting a patient fall incident FAQs (PDF 373KB) provides illustrative scenarios and examples to clarify when and how to report a fall.
Tool 6 - Post fall team review
Post review flowchart (PDF 55KB) is used to guide investigation and review by the clinical team after a consumer fall. It describes the process for a clinical team review within two days of a serious or repeat fall. This quick process will enable the review of many fall incidents, and improvement of consumer and service safety in a timely fashion, with reduced repeat falls.
In the managers page of Safety Learning System (SLS) there is a section to record the outcomes of a post fall review. SA Health managers can use this to easily generate reports of these actions.
A demonstration video of a post fall team review taking place is available for SA Health staff in the Falls Prevention eLearning course.
Contact
Clinical Governance Unit
Email: Health.DHWClinicalGovernanceEnquiries@sa.gov.au