Colleagues across the NIHR Applied Research Collaborations (ARCs) have worked together to produce two new policy briefings on reducing falls among older adults, which have now been shared with decision makers ahead of Falls Prevention Awareness Week next month.
The briefings – on the Falls Management Exercise Programme (FaME) and Action Falls – are the result of close collaboration between ARC Wessex, ARC East Midlands and PenARC. Professor Vicki Goodwin from PenARC contributed her expertise on falls prevention, helping to shape the evidence and ensure the documents provide practical, implementable guidance for policymakers planning care for older people.
This cross-ARC effort demonstrates how pooling expertise and research across regions strengthens our impact on national health priorities. By working together, the teams have been able to develop evidence-based recommendations that respond directly to the urgent challenge of preventing falls in older people – a personal and financial burden costing the NHS £2 billion annually. They have all emphasised the importance of ensuring this evidence reaches policymakers so it can be translated into practice across communities and care settings.
Health data shows that around one in three people aged 65 and over experience at least one fall each year, a figure that rises to one in two among those aged 80 and over. Falls are the leading cause of emergency department visits for older adults, accounting for more than four million hospital bed days annually in England.
The FaME programme, which improves strength and balance, has been shown to reduce falls by up to 54%, while Action Falls has delivered a 43% reduction in care home residents. Together, these evidence-based approaches provide real, scalable solutions that can transform the health, independence and confidence of older people, while reducing pressure on health and social care services.
Professor Elizabeth Orton, from the University of Nottingham and the School of Medicine, said:
“FaME has the power to transform lives by helping older people stay active, independent and confident.
Our evidence shows that with the right strength and balance exercises, we can significantly reduce the chance of a fall happening – preventing injuries, reducing hospital admissions and easing the strain on health and social care services.
This policy briefing is a vital step in helping decision makers aware of the benefits of FaME and in ensuring therefore that FaME reaches every community that can benefit from it.”
Falls Prevention Awareness Week 2025, taking place from 22–26 September, will provide a timely opportunity to highlight this work under the theme ‘From Awareness to Action’.
By showcasing the impact of programmes like FaME and Action Falls, these briefings not only demonstrate the value of our collective ARC research but also underline the importance of collaboration across regions to tackle shared health challenges.
The FaME policy briefing is available here.
The Actions Falls policy briefing is available here.