"A very simple solution to what has been a major problem."
A device that safely lifts a person from the floor to a seated position following a fall reduced hospital admissions from older people in Northamptonshire by 5% between June – November 2023.
Health and social care colleagues from Northamptonshire Healthcare Foundation Trust (NHFT), West Northamptonshire Council (WNC), North Northamptonshire Council (NNC) worked closely with East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) to identify local care homes that had a high number of calls related to falls to the emergency service. This research identified 16 care homes who participated in an initial pilot using the Raizer 2 Chair to lift patients following a fall.
The lifting equipment, the Raizer 2 Chair, is made up of seven large parts: four legs, two backrest pieces, and the seat, which holds the motor mechanism. In addition to the lifting equipment, a digital solution was introduced to accompany the chair called, HelpFall. Helpfall is a post-falls reporting tool that supports staff to safely asses a person who has fallen and helps them decide whether to lift or assist them from the floor using safe manual handling techniques and equipment.
Not all care staff have the tools and training required to safely assess a person who has fallen. But the Raizer 2 chair and Helpfall app can give care staff more confidence to help the patient back to a seated position, without calling the ambulance service, which in many of these cases is unnecessary.
These two innovations are revolutionising the standard of care in residential homes and when reablement teams from the North and West councils have used them in the community because they are reducing ‘long lies’. This is when a person has fallen and spends a long time on the floor, waiting for assistance. As a result of a long lie, people can experience complications including; pressure sores, dehydration, hypothermia, pneumonia, and acute kidney failure.
Testimonials about the Raizer 2 Chair and Helpfall app:
Gemma Hall Registered Manager, The Shrubbery Care Home:
“The resident is sat up in a comfortable position, not lying on a cold floor, so that’s beneficial to them straight away. Our calls to the emergency services have reduced by about 70%.”
Linda Adams, Reablement North Manager:
“From finding a person on the floor, we’ve had up, sitting in a chair, drinking a cup of tea in less than 30 minutes. The Helpfall app has been very useful in supporting staff with their decision-making, as to whether the person can be safely lifted.”
Christina Dovkants, Dementia Unit Manager Burlington Court Care Home
“Using the Raizer chair definitely maintains dignity for the resident and they feel much safer and allows less staff to be involved with assisting the resident of the floor.”
The pilot programme has demonstrated that using the Raizer 2 Chair and Helpfall has had a significant impact. This has been particularly with some of the homes that have had frequent fallers, in reducing the number of ambulance calls, increasing staff confidence, and providing better care to patients and residents.
As of the end of November 2023, 192 lifts were completed, 153 in residential homes and by the community service, and 39 by EMAS. Of the 153 completed in the community and res homes, 43 were deemed minor, and 98 no injury.
Moving forward, the team aims to expand further into the community with support from EMAS and their volunteer network. Expansion of the service will aim to reduce the number of ambulance call responses required following a fall and reduce the number of long lies in the community.