Scottish Hip Fracture Audit
The Scottish Hip Fracture Audit (SHFA) began in 1993 in four hospitals, funded by the Clinical Resource Audit Group (CRAG). Its aim is to improve hip fracture care by providing robust, nationally comparable data on the care of hip fracture patients. SHFA data has provided hospitals with a clear picture of hip fracture care in their orthopaedic departments, allowing them to compare their performance against other centres. SHFA is also carrying out a series of detailed audits into specific areas of hip fracture care, which include working with the Scottish Government’s Access Support Division to reduce unnecessary waiting times to surgery following hip fracture.
The SHFA has proved its effectiveness in bringing about improvements in care for patients with falls and fragility fractures. As a result of participation in the audit, Scottish hospitals which receive fragility fracture patients have introduced a range of measures. These include:
- Accident and Emergency fast tracking (shortening the length of time that fracture patients spend on a trolley in A&E)
- increasing collaboration between orthopaedic and care of the elderly consultants
- increased physiotherapy services.
Since 1999, NHS National Services Scotland has met central co-ordinating costs for the SHFA. Whilst data collection has historically been funded locally, temporary Scottish Government funding until March 2009 has allowed it to achieve 100% mainland coverage. SHFA includes all patients aged 50 or over who have sustained a hip fracture. Despite the success of the SHFA, no funding stream has been secured from the Scottish Government to ensure the future of auditing after March 2009.
To access the SHFA website, please click visit http://www.shfa.scot.nhs.uk .