Hip Fracture Audit figures 'real cause for concern'

Age Scotland’s Interim Chief Executive, Katherine Crawford, said:

"It is shocking that barely a third of people who suffer a hip fracture were seen within 4 hours of admission to hospital. The previous year the Audit showed that nearly two thirds were seen within that timeframe. More than half of patients are waiting far longer than they should without an assessment. The situation for people with hip fractures is deteriorating across nearly all of the indicators and patients are spending longer than ever in hospital.

“The dramatic increase in the number of hip fractures last year is a real cause for concern. Compared with pre-pandemic levels, 1000 more people went to hospital with a fractured hip. We already knew that the pandemic has impacted mobility levels amongst older people and this uplift was predicted, but the scale of change is remarkable.

“Healthcare professionals have reported higher levels of frailty among patients. This could be a knock-on effect of the Covid-19 pandemic as prolonged lockdowns and isolation led to a loss of mobility, strength and flexibility among older people who spent weeks and months at home with limited options for physical activity.

“We know that significant waits for assessment and lengthy hospital stays can lead to severe deconditioning and a loss of muscle strength and balance, which in turn can impede recovery and increase the risk of future falls and a swift return to hospital.

"With outcomes getting poorer across all main indicators and no discernible fixes, it is vital that hospitals and social care are supported to get to grips with this worrying trend. There needs to be a robust falls prevention plan and there needs to be enough capacity in the system to treat people quickly. We must ensure there is adequate social care in the community so that people can leave hospital safely and promptly."