Services Database Community Pharmacy Falls Prevention Service

Pharmacies will deliver tailored medication advice and identification of people aged 65 and over who are at risk of a fall or those who have already experienced a fall who have not participated in a falls prevention programme, which provides effective, high quality, value for money services to its residents.

Pharmacies are to deliver tailored MURs to older people (aged 65+) who are taking three or more medicines or patients prescribed 'high risk/culprit' medication.

The pharmacist will enquire about falls history, identify any “high risk/culprit” medicines, side effects which may contribute to falls, use the North Yorkshire Falls Screening Tool and ask the patient if they have any problems with vision or continence. Smoking status and alcohol consumption will also be obtained. The pharmacist will provide all the patients with oral falls and fracture prevention advice and give them a leaflet to take home.

A GP notification form will be completed, through PharmOutcomes, for patients identified as having falls risk factors that the GP may not be aware of and, where available, the pharmacist will refer the patient to the local falls service. The GP notification form will include any recommendations for medication review, for example, recommendations to reduce or withdraw medications that are increasing the patient’s falls risk and/or recommendations to start bone sparing agents.

Pharmacists taking part in the service will attend training in falls awareness and prevention on an annual basis.