Care homes in Greater Manchester have achieved a 57% reduction in ambulance call outs by using a new digital health app.

The initiative was piloted across 37 care homes in Bury using a deterioration management and multifactorial falls prevention app.

The SafeSteps collaboration between Bury Integrated Delivery Collaborative, primary care, local authority, SafeSteps, and Health Innovation Manchester is aiming to improve early intervention and proactive health management.

The project has achieved 'encouraging' early results in terms of preventing falls in care homes and reducing the logistical and financial pressure on the local ambulance service.

North West Ambulance Service data shows falls in the Bury care homes dropped from 83 in January-March 2023 to 51 in the same quarter in 2024, a reduction of 38%. This resulted in a reduction of 35 to 15 ambulances treating patients at care homes (57%) and a further 12% reduction in patients being conveyed to hospital. The rest of Greater Manchester saw a 10% overall rise in falls in the first quarter 2024.

Analysts predict the initiative could save NHS Greater Manchester almost £500,000 over the year and one less person will die as the result of a fall.

Clare Hunter, project manager at Bury Integrated Delivery Collaborative, said: ‘The success of the Bury initiative was sustained as a collaborative approach through system partners being engaged and committed, driving change locally in digital transformation.

‘This new concept not only improves patient care, ensuring that the person is treated in the right place at the right time, but also streamlines processes making clinical time more effective and efficient within primary care and secondary care, as well as alleviating pressures on North West Ambulance Service.'