A TEAM at Newcastle Royal Victoria Infirmary has won the 2003 Bupa Foundation award for excellence in the development of care for older people.
The Newcastle unit treats more than 2,500 patients each year and is the largest in Europe dedicated to helping older people who suffer from unexplained fainting and falls.
It relieves substantial pressure on emergency hospital admissions by focusing on the cardiovascular causes of falls and fainting. It also provides treatments such as drugs for low blood pressure and heart irregularity as well as heart pacemakers.
Bupa's medical director, Dr Andrew Vallance-Owen, said: "The Newcastle falls and fainting unit is an outstanding example of best practice and teamwork.
"The benefits to both older patients and the NHS speak for themselves. Developments such as this are why Bupa is delighted to award nearly £1.5m in grants each year to the Bupa Foundation."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article