Successful Collaboration Reduces Calls To The Welsh Ambulance Service To Lift Uninjured Fallen Residents Living In Care Homes

A milestone collaboration between the Welsh Ambulance Service Trust and Mangar Health launched last January has reduced the number of calls made by care homes to lift uninjured fallen residents.  Supported by Welsh Government, the initiative is designed to enable ambulance services to redirect resource to priority calls while safeguarding the lives of care home residents.

The initiative saw nearly 600 care homes taking part across Wales. Over the past months, each care home has received a Mangar Camel Lifting Cushion, which was selected by the Welsh Government and Welsh Ambulance Service as the lifting equipment of choice. Care home staff then received training on post-fall management protocols, how to use the lifting device and were introduced to health assessment techniques used by paramedics.

It is part of a continuing initiative to decrease the number of unnecessary ambulance callouts to un-injured fallers which are currently costing the NHS over £50 million a year and to safeguard the lives of residents living in care homes.

Every year in the UK, more than 1350,000 residents living in care homes will fall and usually, manual handling policies restrict options care staff have for lifting. Care homes, therefore, commonly rely on a paramedic to perform the lift, even if the faller is uninjured, which puts added pressure on the already stretched ambulance services.

Simon Claridge, CEO at Mangar Health said; “It’s been an honour to be involved in an initiative where we are having a direct impact on helping to reduce unnecessary ambulance callouts and safeguarding the lives of residents.

Especially when you see the positive feedback and results that have already come out of it. In fact, an early project evaluation has shown an 80% reduction in decisions to call an ambulance within the first month of receiving the support package.

It is a great example of how the public and private sector can work hard together and strive to reach our joint goal of creating better healthcare outcomes for all involved.”

Mangar Health has also worked closely with the Welsh Ambulance Service to launch the ISTUMBLE APP. A free interactive post-fall assessment tool launched to support care staff to be able to assess fallen residents and make informed decisions whether they can lift the faller themselves safely and with the appropriate lifting equipment.

As well as being market leaders in patient lifting and independent living products, Mangar Health’s recent acquisition by French medical device company Winncare Group means they now have an extended product range that includes care beds, pressure care mattresses, and hoists.

If you’re interested in getting involved in a similar project in your area, please contact Andrew Macphail by emailing amacphail@mangarhealth.com.