SPHERE announces Ripe for Translation grant recipient
A new project aimed at ensuring more older Australians receive falls prevention support after leaving an emergency department has been awarded SPHERE’s 2026 Ripe for Translation Grant.
Led by Dr Meghan Ambrens from Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA), the project will introduce a standardised system for identifying older people at risk of further falls and connecting them with the right support before they leave hospital.
The project, System-led implementation of digital fall prevention referral pathways across Emergency Departments in NSW, will receive $200,000 over two years to help embed proven falls prevention research into routine care across five NSW emergency departments.
The Ripe for Translation Grant supports collaborative projects that are ready to move strong research evidence into healthcare practice. It is designed to help improve clinical care, health service delivery, patient experience and health outcomes by supporting implementation across real-world settings.
SPHERE Executive Director, Professor Julie White, said the project was a strong example of the type of practical, evidence-based initiative the Ripe for Translation Grant was designed to support.
“We are delighted to support Dr Meghan Ambrens and her team to translate proven falls prevention research into routine emergency department care,” Professor White said.
“This project addresses a significant and well-recognised gap in care by ensuring older people are not only identified as being at risk of further falls, but are connected with appropriate support before they leave hospital.
“With its strong evidence base, collaborative approach and potential to be expanded across health services nationally, the project has the capacity to make a meaningful difference to older Australians while also reducing pressure on our health and aged care systems.”
Falls are a major health challenge for older Australians. Around 400 older people are hospitalised because of falls each day, yet only a small proportion of people who present to an emergency department following a fall are referred to prevention services when they are discharged. Many will experience another fall within the following six months.
Dr Ambrens’ project will address this gap by embedding the World Falls Guidelines risk-screening algorithm and referral protocols into clinical workflows. Patients will be assessed as having a low, intermediate or high risk of falling and connected with support appropriate to their needs.
People at low or intermediate risk will be referred to StandingTall, a digital falls prevention program that provides personalised balance and exercise training through a tablet application. Those at higher risk will be connected with additional clinical monitoring and multidisciplinary assessment.
StandingTall was co-designed with older people and clinicians and has already demonstrated strong results in research trials. It has reduced falls and fall-related injuries by 20 per cent among lower-risk populations and by up to 42 per cent among people at high risk of falling.
“Thank you for this opportunity, I am thrilled to be able to start this vital work. Referral pathways for fall prevention are urgently needed to bridge the gap between identifying an at-risk individual and connecting them to specific, multi-disciplinary care. An effective referral pathways process can enhance coordination across health and community services to improve health outcomes for older Australians, prevent life-altering injuries and the premature admission to residential care.”
The project will initially be implemented at Prince of Wales Hospital, St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney, Liverpool Hospital, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and Lake Macquarie Private Hospital. It will also involve collaboration with general practices, Primary Health Networks and Local Health Districts to build a coordinated approach extending beyond hospital care.
Clinical teams and older people with lived experience of falls will help co-design the referral pathways at each site. This will ensure the new processes fit existing clinical workflows while responding to the practical needs and experiences of patients, carers and healthcare professionals.
The project brings together partners from across the SPHERE network, including NeuRA, UNSW Sydney, Western Sydney University, The George Institute for Global Health, South Eastern Sydney Local Health District, South Western Sydney Local Health District and St Vincent’s Health Network Sydney.
Over the two-year project, the research team aims to have at least 60 per cent of eligible emergency department patients screened for their risk of falling and at least 80 per cent of those identified as needing support appropriately referred to StandingTall or a multidisciplinary assessment.
The team will also develop workforce training, clinical resources and an implementation model that can be adapted by other hospitals and health services. The longer-term goal is to establish a sustainable referral pathway that can be expanded nationally, helping reduce preventable falls, repeat emergency department presentations and pressure on the health and aged care systems.