High risk patients are set be given new equipment at A&E in Bolton to help them keep safe and "think yellow".
This comes as medics at Royal Bolton Hospital say that anyone admitted to the A&E department who they believe is most at risk will be given bright yellow wrist bands, non-slip sock and blankets.
Tom MacKay, falls coordinator at Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, says that this "think yellow" scheme, which is being trialed in Bolton, could be crucial in helping to reduce falls among vulnerable patients in hospital.
He said: “Most falls occur in the first few hours of admission because it’s a new and busy environment, so by creating a visual cue we can collectively make an impact by being more aware of those who need an extra bit of support from us.
“We want to make sure patients receive the best level of care when they visit us, so we are always looking for ways to enhance safety and protect our vulnerable patients by intervening before a fall occurs.”
The wrist bands are coloured yellow because this is internationally recognised as indicating a risk factor and will help staff at the hospital identify patients most in danger of falls as quickly as possible.
They will then be able to step in and offer support or assistance when at-risk patients are trying to stand or move.
So far, more than 700 yellow items have been handed out to staff at A&E to hand to those who need them.
Mr MacKay said: “To raise awareness we’ll be educating staff about the importance and meaning of think yellow, and if it’s successful we hope to roll it out other wards.”
As well as the Royal Bolton, think yellow has been introduced at a number of NHS sites across England, with evidence suggesting the initiative significantly reduces the number of falls.
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This could prove invaluable to an A&E department that, like many all across the country, has faced huge pressures in recent months.
To run alongside this, Bolton NHS Foundation Trust is running a programme of work on in-patient falls prevention and management, with a range of initiatives being introduced from Monday, January 23.
Mr MacKay added: “When a fall happens in hospital it can typically increase a patient’s stay by a few days, so we hope this initiative will help our patients return to the comfort of their home sooner whilst also easing demand on some of our hospital services.”
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