title: The National Falls and Bone Health Audit: implications for UK emergency care.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The National Clinical Audit of Falls and Bone Health, coordinated by the Royal College of Physicians, assesses progress in implementing integrated falls services across the UK against national standards and enables benchmarking between service providers. Nationally, falls are a leading contributor towards mortality and morbidity in older people and account for 700,000 visits to emergency departments and 4 million annual bed days in England alone.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two rounds of national organisational audit in 2005 and 2008 and one national clinical audit in 2006 were carried out based on indicators developed by a multidisciplinary group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  These showed that management of falls and bone health in older people remains suboptimal in emergency departments and minor injury units and opportunities are being missed in carrying out evidence-based risk assessment and management.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Older people attending emergency departments in the UK following a fall are receiving a poor deal. There is an urgent need to ensure more effective assessment and management to prevent further falls and fractures.
authors: Clinical Effectiveness Committee, College of Emergency Medicine, London, UK. jb234@le.ac.uk
authors: Jay
authors: J
authors: Banerjee
authors: Jonathan
authors: J
authors: Benger
authors: Jonathan
authors: J
authors: Treml
authors: Finbarr C
authors: FC
authors: Martin
authors: Rob
authors: R
authors: Grant
authors: Derek
authors: D
authors: Lowe
authors: Jonathan
authors: J
authors: Potter
authors: Janet
authors: J
authors: Husk
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000368:Aged; D019985:Benchmarking; D054869:Clinical Audit; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012306:Risk; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy*