An annual report published by the Royal College of Physicians has highlighted the James Paget for its work in increasing numbers of patients who are mobilised soon after undergoing hip fracture surgery.
The National Hip Fracture Database (NHFD) annual report highlights best practice, data and resources to ‘describe the care’ that hip fracture patients should receive on their journey to recovery.
This year’s report contains a section entitled ‘Post Operative Care’, which showcases the James Paget’s ‘Out of Bed Project’ with links to both an academic paper and a video presentation.
The Out of Bed Project was launched to help the hospital improve early mobilisation of patients after hip fracture surgery – a practice which is linked to better outcomes for patients and reducing length of stay.
Central to the project was providing physiotherapy-led training to healthcare assistants, to help them identify patients suitable for early mobilisation following surgery - and then get them moving before their physiotherapy assessment.
By doing this, it enables physiotherapists to focus on early discharge planning and give more time to complex mobilisation cases.
James Paget Professional Lead for Physiotherapy Rene Gray, who oversaw the introduction of the Out of Bed Project, said: “I am delighted that our project has been highlighted in this report, which is published nationally and used to influence good practice in the care of hip fracture patients.
“The success of the Out of Bed Project has been down to great team work and a dedication to getting it right for our patients immediately after surgery, when delays in mobilisation can adversely affect their recovery.”
Before the Out of Bed Project was launched in 2021, the James Paget was below the national average in terms of the percentage of patients mobilised a day after surgery. Since then, that percentage has increased from 60% to 85%.
Its success is now being shared not just nationally but globally too, with members of the orthopaedic therapy team presenting at specialist conferences including most recently the Fragility Fracture Network European Conference, held in Istanbul.
Every year, over 70,000 people in England, Wales and Northern Ireland will break their hip. This leads to the occupation of one in thirty hospital beds and a cost of £2 billion to care for this injury.
The National Hip Fracture Database (NHFD), part of the Falls and Fragility Fracture Audit Programme (FFFAP) run by the Royal College of Physicians, uses information from every eligible hospital in these countries to show how the right care and support can help to get people back onto their feet and leading a good quality life.
Rene is pictured with some of the team involved in the project.