A grandmother-of-eight has praised the team of physiotherapists who helped her back on her feet thanks to an innovative new wristband scheme to prevent her falling in hospital.

Colours Reducing Falls is an award-winning programme launched at the Livingstone Hospital in Dartford, run by Kent Community Health NHS Trust. All patients are assessed by the physiotherapy team, which decides how much help they need and what their risk of falling might be. They are given a red, yellow or green wrist band to alert other staff.

Senior Physiotherapist Sam Gohir, said: “We trialled this programme two years ago as a simple way of making sure all staff in our hospital knew the needs of every patient. It allows us to take into account all the factors that might affect a patient’s fall risk, such as if they have dementia, mobility issues or a lack of confidence.

“It has worked fantastically well and in the first six months the number of falls at the Livingstone had reduced by 50 per cent.”

Patients who are most at risk and need close supervision are given a red band, those with a yellow are improving but still need some assistance and those with a green band are considered to be independent. Patients are monitored throughout their stay at the hospital by the nursing team.

June Gildea, 75, from Gravesend, suffered a fall at her home while she was playing with her daughter’s dog, Bella, and fractured her hip. After an operation at Darent Valley Hospital she was moved to the Livingstone Hospital for treatment and rehabilitation to help her back on her feet and return safely home.

When June arrived at the Livingstone, she was assessed by the physiotherapy team and given a yellow band. But thanks to a series of exercises and therapy, she has now progressed to green and will shortly be discharged.

Mrs Gildea said: “I really like the colourful arm bands because it means all the people caring for you know how much help you need.

“The staff have been really supportive and it has encouraged me to work hard and do my exercises and move up to the green band. I felt like I had won a medal when they promoted me! It has given me the confidence to know I will be ok when it’s time to go home.”

The scheme has been quickly adopted by all the staff in the hospital from the nurses, therapists, to the domestic staff and even visitors, who have picked up on the wrist band system and let the team know if someone wearing a red band is struggling and needs some extra help.

The team behind the scheme have been recognised by the Community Hospitals Association (CHA) for the effective and simple way they have improved patient care. They have been invited to an awards ceremony in Manchester next year where they will present the scheme, the only one of its kind in Kent, at the annual CHA conference.