Australian Falls Prevention Project for Hospitals and Residential Aged Care Facilities

An Australian Council for Safety and Quality in Health Care initiative in association with Queensland Health

From February 2004 to 28th April 2005, the Australian Council for Safety and Quality in Health Care funded Queensland Health to promote a consistent approach to the reduction of harm from falls occurring in older persons (aged 65 years and older). The project scope included public and private Australian hospitals and residential aged care facilities.

As part of this process draft national guidelines based on Queensland Health's Falls Prevention Best Practice Guidelines for Public Hospitals and State Government Residential Aged Care Facilities have been produced. These draft guidelines are informed by the most recent literature, expect opinion, as well as feedback from consultation with key stakeholders around Australia.

Through consultation with key stakeholders the project also addressed best practice interventions for reducing harm from falls and how they can be widely disseminated, implemented and measured. Additionally it sought advice on issues including national accreditation standards for falls prevention and reporting of falls and fall related incidents.

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Last Updated: 22 August, 2005
Last Reviewed: August 2005