Scotland is leading the way in the care it gives to those recovering from hip replacement surgery.

A study led by Aberdeen University researchers Andrew Hall and Luke Farrow,   examined data from over 1,100 patients from 21 different hospitals across Scotland.

Scotland has audit tools to be used by health professionals on the after care of people receiving hip replacements: Scottish standards of care for hip fracture patients-2018 (SSCHFP)

“The “Standards of Care” apply to every patient who is admitted to hospital in Scotland after sustaining a hip fracture.”

National standards mean that wherever you live in Scotland you should receive the best of care. Scotland is the first country in the world to introduce such standards.

Researcher Luke Farrow said:

“By implementing the Scottish Standards of Care for Hip Fracture Patients (SSCHFP), Scotland became the first country to have a nationally-agreed, evidence-based collection of care standards to ensure a consistently high level of care in this setting.

“Despite implementation of the SSCHFP in 2014, there was previously no information assessing the impact of such standards on patient outcomes. This was the aim of our study – to find if these standards are succeeding in what they set out to achieve.

“In the first review of these standards, we found clear evidence that adherence to the SSCHFP is associated with better patient outcomes. These findings confirm the clinical utility of the SSCHFP and support their use as a benchmarking tool to improve quality of care in hip fracture.

Andrew Hall, Honorary Research Fellow at The University, who co-authored the study said:

“The evidence from this study serves as an incentive for hospitals to continue to seek improvements in how they treat patients with hip fracture. The Scottish Hip Fracture Audit has already set in motion measures which will ensure that more patients receive the best possible care.

“We believe that the success of the Scottish Standards means that Scotland is leading the way in the care of hip fracture patients, and the standards set up and down the country are a benchmark to which other nations can aspire.”

The study was published in The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery

Graeme Holt, a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon and Chair of the Hip Fracture Steering Group, said:

“Hip fracture injury is set to increase in number by approximately 50% in the next 17 years as a result of changes in population demographics.  Given the common nature of this injury and the cost associated with managing hip fracture, it is essential that we deliver high quality, effective and efficient care to this vulnerable patient group.

“Since the introduction of the Scottish Hip Fracture Audit and quality improvement pathway, we have observed significant improvement across all indicators, in particular the delivery of care of the elderly medical interventions, more patients being discharged from hospital by 30 days following injury, a reduced length of average hospital stay, reduced mortality, and significant cost efficiencies.

“Whilst we acknowledge that significant progress has been made, further work is required and we will continue to work towards delivering sustainable improvement which benefits all patients who sustain hip and other fragility fractures.”