Information
The East Lothian Falls pathway is hosted within the East Lothian Rehabilitation Service (ELRS) and is delivered by a team of physiotherapy/assistant physiotherapy practitioners and community care workers based within the community. The team has close links with ELC Emergency Care Service (team that will lift and settle patients following a fall).
The team’s role is to support patients with therapy input when they have had a fall, at risk of falling or have a fear of falling. Patients will undergo a multifactorial falls assessment, which considers environment, mobility and transfers, balance, technology, footwear/footcare, hearing/eyesight, equipment, medication, bone health, cognition, and continence.
The core hours of the service are Monday – Friday 8am – 4pm
Interventions provided include:
- advice and education regarding falls prevention and management
- walking aids and other equipment to maintain the patient’s abilities to complete essential daily activities at home (either independently or with support of carers/family)
- provision of exercise programmes to maximise strength and balance
- onward referral to audiology/occupational therapy/3rd sector/social work.
Who can refer:
Primary Care:
GP’s, Practice Nurses, ANP’s with SCI Gateway access
Secondary Care:
MOE Consultants
AHP’s:
Acute Physiotherapists, Community AHP’s within the wider East Lothian Rehabilitation Service
Patients/Carers/Family members:
Self-referral is available to all East Lothian residents
Who to refer:
- Residents of East Lothian
- Had a fall
- At risk of falling
- Fear of falling
Who not to refer:
- Patients who are undergoing extensive investigation for a medical cause to their falls
- Patients who are acutely unwell and at immediate risk of admission, these referrals should be directed to our Prevention of admission service
- Patients with potential undiagnosed significant injury (e.g. acute onset significant back pain with risk of potential fracture)
- Patients with a LD diagnosis or complex MH diagnosis – please refer to appropriately aligned teams for input
How to refer:
Primary Care Pathway:
Referrals should be made via SCI Gateway:
AHP – Physiotherapy
East Lothian – East Lothian Rehabilitation Service
LI Physiotherapy
FAO: Falls Team
Secondary Care:
MOE consultants can refer via email to eastlothianphysioreferrals@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk
AHPs:
Email referrals accepted to: eastlothianphysioreferrals@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk
Patient Self-Referral:
Patient/family member/carer can call ELRS Single Point of Contact Phoneline on 0300 3680680 to self-refer for a falls assessment
Home – Access to a Better Life in East Lothian – ELRS Digital Platform with advice, resources and external links to support self-management and self-assessment for equipment.
