Developing a falls management tool for adults with learning disabilities

Falls can have a significant impact on the lives of adults with a learning disability and their carers. There is a need to develop falls prevention strategies specifically for adults with a learning disability. A research team from Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust are currently developing a Guide to Action (GtA) Tool to identify falls risk factors and supports action to reduce these risks.

07 January 2022 - 6:44AM

The Guide to Action (GtA) Tool is a falls management tool that identifies falls risk factors and supports action to reduce these risks. The GtA tool was co-produced by clinicians, care staff and researchers and is clinically used across community settings in the general older adult population. The current GtA for older adults needs adapting for adults with a learning disability who have specific reasons why they might fall and are supported by difference services in the community.

We will co-produce, with people who have a learning disability, carers and health professionals a revised of the GtA tool to meet their needs, accounting for the different risk factors and the different settings where people are supported.

There will be 3 components of work:

  1. Interviews with stakeholder on the current Guide to Action tool and falls management
  2. Consensus process to agree the key aspects of an adapted Guide to Action tool
  3. Proof of concept study to try out the adapted tool and see what people think about using it

Current work

Stage One:  Stakeholder interviews

We are currently undertaking interviews with healthcare professionals, carers and adults with a learning disability to get their views on the first draft of the Guide to Action tool. The healthcare professional and carer interviews are planned to be completed by the end of December 2021 and the interviews with adults with a learning disability by March 2022.

If you are interested in taking part in an interview please contact Nicola Lidstone - Nicola.lidstone@nuh.nhs.uk

Sharing our findings

We are keen to share our findings via their website and newsletters throughout the study so watch this space for more information as we get going on the work. 

Website:  https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/research/groups/communityrehabilitation/projects/falls-management-programme/developing-a-falls-management-programme-for-adults-with-intellectual-disabilities.aspx

Newsletter:  ISSUE One – December 2021

Membership:

Study team

  • Dr Katie Robinson
  • Professor Pip Logan
  • Professor Penny Standen
  • Dr Vernonika van der wardt
  • Nicola Lidstone
  • Carol Tucker
  • Alice Kilby
  • Sue Knowles

Study lead

Led by Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust

Collaborators

University of Nottingham

Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust

Funder

Research for Patient Benefit

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