Dorset APP

Dorset Alliance to Prevent Falls and Promote Independence

For the last 21 years, Osteoporosis Dorset through its prevention through education initiatives has driven improvements in the education and training of health professionals in the field of falls and fracture prevention.

Working closely with Bournemouth University, Osteoporosis Dorset has established a new “Dorset Alliance to Prevent falls and Promote independence (Dorset APP)”. Members of the Alliance by working together can promote the importance of exercise to prevent falls, increase health related quality of life and the ability of older people to live independently.

The importance of preventing falls was highlighted in a study in which 80% of older women stated that they would prefer death to a bad hip fracture resulting in nursing home admission(1).

Working together members of Dorset APP are better placed to achieve common goals including the rate of hospital admission for hip fractures.

Any organisation that plays a role in preventing falls and fractures in older people in Dorset is welcome to join the Alliance.

Our Aim

The aim of the Dorset Alliance to Prevent falls and Promote independence (Dorset APP) is to bring a number of complimentary organisations together in the Dorset area (see list below) to work more effectively to prevent falls in older people.

Why is this initiative important?

  • It will help to reduce the NHS costs associated with falls among older people by reducing hospital admissions associated with falls
  • Working together, members of Dorset APP will be better informed of what initiatives are already in place within the region and together can share ideas of how to improve best practice.

and most importantly to:

  • Maintain, and enhance, older people’s quality of life by ensuring they are fitter and less worried about falling.
  • Ensure older people have easy access to the best information possible about exercise and improving balance through a variety of sources.
  • Listen to, and find out more about, the difficulties older people face in maintaining fitness with a view to improving services and information via this research.
  • Evaluate and research the efficacy of care older people receive after a fall, particularly with respect to regaining fitness and confidence.

The following organisations are members of the Dorset APP:

  • Bournemouth University
  • Osteoporosis Dorset
  • Age UK Bournemouth
  • Age UK Dorchester
  • Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (Falls team, Christchurch Day Hospital, and Medicine for the Elderly, Bournemouth Hospital)
  • Poole Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
  • Dorchester County Hospital
  • Dorset Healthcare University Foundation Trust (including the Long Term Conditions Therapy Team, Alderney Hospital)
  • Extend
  • Later Life Training Ltd
  • Anglo-European College of Chiropractic
  • University of the Third Age – Bournemouth branch
  • Dorset Partnership for Older People Programme
  • Bournemouth Older People’s Forum Chair
  • Independent Chair for Bournemouth 2026 Trust
  • South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust