Latest news with #RichardMacharg
Scoop
3 days ago
- Health
- Scoop
A Gold For Southern Fracture Service
Press Release – WellSouth The Southern Fracture Liaison Service (FLS) has achieved a gold award in the International Osteoporosis Foundations programme for fragility fracture care, based on five administrative and clinical quality domains against 13 performance standards. A local service that is supporting older people to overcome the social, mental and physical effects of fragility fractures resulting from falls, has been awarded an internationally recognised gold standard. The Southern Fracture Liaison Service (FLS) has achieved a gold award in the International Osteoporosis Foundation's programme for fragility fracture care, based on five administrative and clinical quality domains against 13 performance standards. WellSouth, the primary health organisation (PHO) for Otago and Southland, delivers the service, which is ACC funded and supported by Osteoporosis New Zealand. WellSouth employs a designated Clinical Lead, Dr Richard Macharg, based in Queenstown, as well as trained Fracture Liaison Co-ordinators. Dr Macharg says this is a significant milestone for the service that is in its fourth full year of delivery, its third year participating in the Australian and New Zealand Fragility Fracture Registry and a step up from previous years' bronze then silver awards. 'Having our service evaluated against international standards and achieving gold has been hard work, but very rewarding,' he says. Worldwide, one in three women and one in five men aged 50 years and over will suffer a fragility fracture as a result of osteoporosis. In New Zealand nearly 16,000 such fractures were found last year, around 840 in the Southern region. Dr Macharg says the team also has its sights set on better engagement with the secondary care sector and spreading the knowledge of the benefits of osteoporosis care and falls prevention. 'We recently, after three years of advocacy and hard work, have been granted access to public hospital radiology reporting data to improve our identification of opportunistically detected Vertebral Fragility Fractures (VFFs). This means more people with osteoporosis can be identified, receive early help and advice and be free from the pain and disability of falls and fractures.' 'This is in line with our wider plan for enhanced engagement with secondary sectors to improve fragility fracture and osteoporosis care across both primary and secondary care, critical as the New Dunedin Hospital is being built, and our population ages.' Dr Macharg says the service works with members in the community to prevent falls or recover from them well, potentially reducing hundreds of bed days per year, and supporting a community that is strong and living well. Modelling by Osteoporosis New Zealand predicts that in the next 3 years, the Southern FLS could reduce up to 1200 bed days in Dunedin and Southland hospitals combined. 'Our team work incredibly hard to ensure they deliver the best service and make a difference in the community. Since last year, we also evaluated 100 more people than the year before.' 'These types of fractures, even those that seem small, can be the warning signs of more serious consequences. When identified and managed appropriately, osteoporosis and falls risk can be addressed and help avert the pain, long-term disability and potentially life-threatening consequences of a major fracture such as that of the hip. Good management after hip fractures will improve recovery and avoid further injury too,' he says. 'We truly believe in the 'Live Stronger for Longer' approach to reduce falls and resulting loss of confidence, which affects everyday life and for some people leads to isolation and loneliness.'
Scoop
3 days ago
- Health
- Scoop
A Gold For Southern Fracture Service
A local service that is supporting older people to overcome the social, mental and physical effects of fragility fractures resulting from falls, has been awarded an internationally recognised gold standard. The Southern Fracture Liaison Service (FLS) has achieved a gold award in the International Osteoporosis Foundation's programme for fragility fracture care, based on five administrative and clinical quality domains against 13 performance standards. WellSouth, the primary health organisation (PHO) for Otago and Southland, delivers the service, which is ACC funded and supported by Osteoporosis New Zealand. WellSouth employs a designated Clinical Lead, Dr Richard Macharg, based in Queenstown, as well as trained Fracture Liaison Co-ordinators. Dr Macharg says this is a significant milestone for the service that is in its fourth full year of delivery, its third year participating in the Australian and New Zealand Fragility Fracture Registry and a step up from previous years' bronze then silver awards. 'Having our service evaluated against international standards and achieving gold has been hard work, but very rewarding,' he says. Worldwide, one in three women and one in five men aged 50 years and over will suffer a fragility fracture as a result of osteoporosis. In New Zealand nearly 16,000 such fractures were found last year, around 840 in the Southern region. Dr Macharg says the team also has its sights set on better engagement with the secondary care sector and spreading the knowledge of the benefits of osteoporosis care and falls prevention. 'We recently, after three years of advocacy and hard work, have been granted access to public hospital radiology reporting data to improve our identification of opportunistically detected Vertebral Fragility Fractures (VFFs). This means more people with osteoporosis can be identified, receive early help and advice and be free from the pain and disability of falls and fractures.' 'This is in line with our wider plan for enhanced engagement with secondary sectors to improve fragility fracture and osteoporosis care across both primary and secondary care, critical as the New Dunedin Hospital is being built, and our population ages.' Dr Macharg says the service works with members in the community to prevent falls or recover from them well, potentially reducing hundreds of bed days per year, and supporting a community that is strong and living well. Modelling by Osteoporosis New Zealand predicts that in the next 3 years, the Southern FLS could reduce up to 1200 bed days in Dunedin and Southland hospitals combined. 'Our team work incredibly hard to ensure they deliver the best service and make a difference in the community. Since last year, we also evaluated 100 more people than the year before.' 'These types of fractures, even those that seem small, can be the warning signs of more serious consequences. When identified and managed appropriately, osteoporosis and falls risk can be addressed and help avert the pain, long-term disability and potentially life-threatening consequences of a major fracture such as that of the hip. Good management after hip fractures will improve recovery and avoid further injury too,' he says. 'We truly believe in the 'Live Stronger for Longer' approach to reduce falls and resulting loss of confidence, which affects everyday life and for some people leads to isolation and loneliness.'
