Hip fracture ward established

University Hospital of North Staffordshire has established a single ward to improve the care for all hip fracture patients. Ward 19 has been designated as a fractured neck of femur ward so patients can be cared for by an expert team. This improves their care before and after surgery, their rehabilitation care and long term survival. The changes are being pioneered by the Trust's nationally recognised orthopaedic surgeon Philip Roberts and his team.

Around 600 people a year suffer a fractured neck of femur, commonly known as a broken hip, and are treated at University Hospital. Caring for all the patients on the same ward with an experienced and dedicated team improves the chances of recovery for these patients. This means just 6 percent of the patients admitted every year die of blood clots or infections within 30 days of their operation, compared to a national average death rate of 12 percent.

Philip Roberts, orthopaedic surgeon, said: "Our team have been working with clinicians across the Trust and within primary care to develop an Integrated Care Pathway. The care pathway means more patients have surgery within 48 hours, fewer infections and dislocations, reduced length of stay and reduced deaths. This pathway starts the moment a patient arrives at hospital, through their hospital care and works to ensure a safe discharge to their home".

"All of this has been put together using evidence from patients' experiences here and around the world. How we care for these patients is often perceived as being a good indicator of the quality of hospital services for the elderly. This is because their needs are often complex and their recovery can be greatly improved by well planned care."

Sue Jackson, orthopaedic physiotherapy practitioner, has been managing the pathway development for the past seven years. She said: "All patients are jointly managed by two consultants, Mr Roberts and geriatrician Dr M Browne, and by two experienced advanced nurse practitioners. The therapy team work daily to ensure that hip fracture patients are kept as mobile as possible and the ward nurses, led by an experienced ward sister, manage their day to day care and comfort. The work on our care pathway means we have been nationally and internationally recognised and have passed on what we have learnt here in North Staffordshire."

Karen Hertz, advanced nurse practitioner, said: "Our thinking is simple, patients should be assessed immediately in the Emergency Department, admitted to the hip fracture ward and operated on without delay. We take time to assess the patient's nutritional, medication and social needs to optimise their general health and to ensure we do what we can to prevent further falls and complications. We are also working hard with our discharge and community teams to ensure patients are discharged to home or an appropriate community hospital for further rehabilitation."