GPs must ask elderly patients if they feel unsteady on their feet under new NHS guidelines

GPs must ask millions of older Brits if they feel unsteady on their feet under new NHS guidelines.

A health watchdog wants family doctors and social workers to quiz all over-65s if they have fallen over in the past year.

Officials said previous trips are the best indicator of future risk.

Cash-strapped hospitals have also been told to carry out home inspections for a quarter of a million OAPs each year.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) said all 255,000 pensioners admitted after a stumble should have their residence checked out.

NHS trusts must send an occupational therapist to look for hazards, such as a slippery rug or poor lighting.

Falls are one of the main causes of broken hips and can reveal undiagnosed health problems.

One in three pensioners has had at least one in the past year, experts claim.

And they cost the NHS £2.3 billion a year.

Under the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) guidelines, family doctors, social workers and chemists should ask about falls during routine appointments and refer at risk Brits on for further help.

This can involve treating underlying health problems, eye checks, making changes at home, or prescribing strength and balance exercises.

But GP leaders said most medics simply do not have the time.

Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard, Chair of the Royal College of GPs, said: “We see the terrible effects of falls on a daily basis – not just in terms of physical harm, but knock on effects, such as anxiety and decreased confidence.

“But implementing this new guidance will undoubtedly be hampered by the standard 10-minute GP consultation, which is increasingly inadequate.”

Caroline Abrahams, Charity Director at Age UK, welcomed the new guidance.

She said: “Falls are a serious threat to older people’s health.

“However, despite having serious consequences falls in later life are often dismissed as an inevitable part of growing older, when the reality is they are preventable.”

The guidance admits many older Brits will be unhappy with the questioning.

Professor Cameron Swift, from Kings College London, who helped develop the advice, said: “We recognise that regular questions about falls may seem intrusive or repetitive, but older people often think episodes of falling or unsteadiness unimportant, or that to raise them could threaten future independence.

“By contrast, effective measures are now known to reduce the risk of falls, maintain independence and promote ongoing health.”

And Professor Gillian Leng, deputy chief executive at NICE, said: “Asking older people about falls on a regular basis will identify those who are most at risk.”