Aim

To help pharmacy technicians recognise everyday opportunities to identify people at increased risk of falls.

Objectives  

• Recognise common patient factors and medicine-related clues that may indicate 
  falls risk
• Use simple questions to gather relevant information during routine patient interactions
• Know when to escalate concerns to your pharmacist.

Key facts

• Around 30 per cent of people aged 65 and over, and 50 per cent of people aged 80 and over, fall at least once a year
• New NICE guidelines include people aged 50 to 64 with conditions that increase falls risk
• Falls risk-increasing drugs (FRIDs), polypharmacy, dizziness, frailty, visual impairment and reduced mobility can all contribute to falls risk
• Pharmacy technicians can support prevention by observing, asking appropriate questions and escalating promptly.