There is a wide variation in practice relating to the 70,000 patients in England who suffer a hip fracture each year. In response to that, and to assist the development of Best Practice Tariff, there have been concerted efforts to define:
- Prevention strategies
- Quality of care
- Cost-effectiveness of treating this patient group who demand considerable resources in secondary care, rehabilitation and social care
The Department of Health has undertaken to support a programme of change for this patient group by:
1. The creation of National Clinical Directors for both Trauma Care (Professor Keith Willett) and Older People (Professor David Oliver)
2. Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership (HQIP) funding the National Hip Fracture Database (NHFD) as one of the 6 new national audits.
3. National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) establishing a Guidelines Development Group which will be reporting in 2010.
4. DH (Department of Health) Older Persons’ team, in collaboration with the Commissioning Directorate, developing a comprehensive Toolkit for commissioning of Falls and Fracture prevention services.
To find out more please visit: www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/DH_103146
Professor Keith Willett and Professor David Oliver came to the North West on 15 February 2010 and hosted a Fragility Fractures event. Other speakers included the NHS Institute, Royal College of Physicians audit team, the National Hip Fracture Database (NHFD) and the Payment by Results team.
They gave us updates on national policy and how the Best Practice tariff will work. The afternoon was then spent in local teams discussing how to start improving pathways for these patients in their areas.
Presentations from the event in PDF format:
Preventing the Fracture, Transforming the Care
The National Hip Fracture Database Measuring and promoting quality of care
Best Practice Tariffs Falls and Fractures: Towards Best Practice
National Rapid Improvement Programme for Orthopaedics
The National Audit of Falls and Bone Health in Older People
Developing Effective Services for Fall and Fracture Patients