Yes. There is an NHS falls clinic in Hertfordshire: Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust lists consultant-led multidisciplinary falls clinics among its services, and West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals' care of the elderly team runs a falls clinic too. Families usually reach one through a referral, so the first step is to tell the GP about the fall and ask for a falls assessment.
To talk anything through with someone local, our Harpenden team is on 01582 824 830.
Who runs falls clinics in Hertfordshire?
Two NHS trusts describe falls clinics on their own websites. Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust lists consultant-led multidisciplinary falls clinics. "Multidisciplinary" means a team with different skills, rather than a single doctor.
West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust also describes a falls clinic on its care of the elderly page, focused on prevention and rehabilitation. That department works from Watford General Hospital and St Albans City Hospital. However, the page does not say where the clinic itself is held.
We want to be straight with you. Neither trust's public page told us who can refer or whether you can refer yourself. So the GP surgery remains the most reliable way in, and it is the route the NHS describes.
If the fall happened in the last few days, our guide to what to do in the first week after a first fall covers the immediate practical steps.
How do you get a falls clinic referral in Hertfordshire?
The NHS guidance on falls says to ask the GP for advice if someone has had a fall or is worried about their balance. The GP may check balance by asking them to get up and move around. Then, if needed, the GP may refer them to a specialist falls service.
The NHS also says some areas let people refer themselves after a fall. To find out, ask the GP surgery or check its website.
National guidance supports raising it. The NICE falls guideline asks professionals to check whether older people have fallen in the past year at routine appointments and annual health checks. It also recommends a comprehensive falls assessment for people who have fallen in the last year and meet certain criteria.
What to tell the GP
A short written note makes the call easier. Hertfordshire County Council's falls page suggests telling the GP about several things, and families often add the rest:
- when and where each fall happened, and how many in the past year
- any dizzy spells, light-headedness, blackouts or palpitations
- bladder problems or frequent trips to the toilet at night
- a request to ask about bone health
- any near misses, stumbles or a new fear of going out
What happens at a falls assessment?
A falls assessment looks for the reasons someone is falling, so each one can be addressed. According to the NHS, a falls service may check for muscle weakness, weak bones and eyesight problems. It may also offer strength and balance training, a home safety check and a review of medicines.
NICE adds detail on exercise. It says falls prevention programmes should focus on balance, coordination, strength and power. They should also be tailored to the person, build up over time and be run by trained professionals.
Every assessment is individual, so the clinic will decide what is needed. Your role is mainly to share what you have noticed at home.
What can families do while waiting?
Meanwhile, the Hertfordshire County Council falls page lists practical help that does not depend on the clinic:
- A free council assessment for advice on making daily life safer, including regaining confidence after a fall.
- An equipment assessment through HADnet for help around the house.
- A safe and well visit from the fire service.
- A medicines review with the pharmacist, because some medicines affect balance.
- An eye test and foot care through an optician and a podiatrist.
- Footwear that fits, since the council names poorly fitting shoes and slippers as a major cause of slips and trips.
HertsHelp, on 0300 123 4044, can point you to local services if you are unsure where to start.
Where care at home fits in
A falls clinic sets the plan, and everyday life decides whether it works. That is where visiting carers can help. For example, a carer can keep walkways clear, check lighting in the evening and make sure slippers fit and are worn.
Carers can also prompt the exercises a physiotherapist has set, without changing them, and record any trips or near misses for the family. If something is new or worrying, they pass it on. Our guide to what happens in a home care visit explains how this works day to day.
This is the heart of our falls prevention support at home. It can sit alongside wider later life care, such as help with meals, washing and getting out.
Frequently asked questions
Does Starling Homecare provide falls prevention support in Hertfordshire?
Yes. Starling Homecare is an independent, family run provider based in St Albans and registered with the Care Quality Commission. We provide falls prevention support at home in Hertfordshire, through visiting care and live-in care. You can read more on our falls prevention support page.
Can I refer my mother to a falls clinic myself?
The NHS says self-referral is possible in some areas. We could not confirm the arrangement for Hertfordshire from the trusts' own pages, so ask her GP surgery first.
Is it worth mentioning a fall that caused no injury?
Yes. Hertfordshire County Council advises telling the GP or a health professional after a fall as soon as possible. A fall without injury can still point to something worth checking.
Dad is now frightened of falling. Does that matter?
It does. Worry about falling can lead someone to move less. NICE guidance includes support for people with concerns about falling, so tell the GP about it.
How Starling Homecare can help
Starling Homecare is a family run home care provider, registered with the Care Quality Commission, with a local team covering Harpenden, from Batford to Kinsbourne Green. If you are waiting on a falls referral, we can talk through what visiting care might look like and how it would fit around the clinic's advice. You can read more about home care in Harpenden, or call the local team.
Figures and guidance checked on 8 November 2026 against the NHS, NICE and Hertfordshire County Council.
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