Falls cost the NHS approx. £2 billion a year, 4 million bed days due to falls 2,100 per 100,000 emergency admissions for over 65yrs in England. Increasingly falls cited in regulation 28 coronial reports leading to a preventable death, 1 in 3 people over 65yrs and 1 in 2 over 80yrs old have a fall at least once per year.
Falls are the single biggest reason for hospital admissions for older people.
GM FALLS LIFTING SERVICE (WINTER OFFER 2026-2027)
NHS Greater Manchester in conjunction with the GM Urgent Primary Care Alliance are running a Falls Lifting Response Service to support the winter period from 1 October 2026 up to 31 March 2027.
This service will operate 8am- 8pm, 7 days a week and will provide a lifting service post a fall for people over 18yrs who, at the time of the call, are deemed not to be injured.
Background:
Historically the process following a fall, especially in care home settings has been to contact the ambulance service. Many of which result in conveyance to hospital due to frailty and possible length of time the person is on the floor awaiting assistance.
• It is estimated one third of adults over 65 who live at home will have at least one fall a year, but most falls do not result in serious injury. People who fall over at home and are unable to get up from the floor themselves – but have no other injuries would be suitable for this service.
• Falls are associated with significant mortality and morbidity. One significant aspect of falls is a ‘long lie’. A ‘long lie’ is when a person who has fallen spends a prolonged period of time on the floor because they are unable to get up. Literature defines a long lie as being on the floor for an hour or more[1][2]
Implications of long lies include dehydration, pressure injuries, carpet Burns, Hypothermia, Pneumonia, muscle and tissue damage. (1 Fleming et al 2008, 2 Bisson et al 2015)
Objective:
• Reduce unnecessary ambulance call outs for non-emergency falls
• To improve response times for lifting people who have fallen across GM
• Improve outcomes for people
• Increase referrals to more appropriate services such as Urgent Care Response (UCR) teams and other community teams
• Reduce unnecessary conveyances to hospital for long lies
The Falls Lifting service will be a pan GM offer.
2 teams with 2 non-clinical Falls Responders will respond to non-injured falls. The teams will be based at 2 sites to provide cover across GM.
The patients will be referred from NWAS and sent to the Falls Lifting service via a text message.
The Fall Responder will ring NWAS to confirm details and any access issues and then accept/ decline the referral.
As part of admission avoidance, the GM Falls Lifting Team will, where relevant, make onward referrals to Urgent Community Response (UCR), GPs, Out of Hours, other community services.
Please see the pathways below:
For phone number and details – please check the poster 2026-27 Pan GM Falls Winter Offer
