A doctor home visit after a fall can help assess a stable person who does not need emergency care, but the visit should look beyond the bruise. The circumstances, medicines, blood pressure, mobility and home environment can all change the next step. Serious injury, collapse or acute illness must be assessed urgently rather than waiting for a private appointment.
Prepared by The Wellness Team. Evidence checked 2 November 2026.
Ask about an individual home assessment
When is a home appointment the wrong first step?
Call 999 for possible stroke, severe breathing difficulty, chest pain, unconsciousness or another medical emergency. A suspected major injury, inability to bear weight after a fall, or a significant head injury needs urgent assessment through the appropriate emergency service. Tell urgent-care staff if the person takes a blood thinner. Do not move someone with a suspected serious injury simply to make them more comfortable for a later visit.
A scheduled home assessment is for a clinically appropriate situation, not a way to bypass the need for hospital imaging or monitoring. If you are uncertain about urgency, seek NHS 111 advice or urgent clinical help. A person who appears settled afterwards can still need prompt assessment, especially if the fall involved loss of consciousness.
Why does the story of the fall matter?
Write down what the person was doing immediately beforehand, whether they felt dizzy, whether they remember the event and how they got up. A witness account can be useful. Note any earlier falls, near falls, new walking difficulty and whether confidence has changed. Calling it a mechanical fall should not close the discussion before the cause is explored.
The 2025 NICE falls guideline recommends a comprehensive assessment for specified higher-risk groups, including people with frailty, recurrent falls, a fall-related injury needing medical treatment, loss of consciousness or inability to get up independently. These are reasons to look at the wider picture, not a checklist for diagnosing the cause yourself.
What can the clinician assess at home?
Depending on the history and what is safe, assessment may include cardiovascular and neurological examination, lying and standing blood pressure, gait, balance, strength, vision, footwear and the effect of existing conditions. Diet, fluid intake and unwanted weight loss also matter. The ability to manage ordinary activities is part of the clinical picture.
Home can reveal practical barriers that are difficult to describe in a clinic: the route to the bathroom, a low chair, poor lighting or an inaccessible walking aid. A GP visit is not automatically a complete specialist falls service. Ask whether physiotherapy, occupational therapy, a falls clinic or another referral is needed.
Discuss your priorities and the appropriate appointment. The team will confirm suitability, availability and the complete fee before booking.
What should I gather before the visit?
Have the current medicine containers, repeat prescription list, recent discharge letters and any relevant hospital reports ready. Include over-the-counter medicines, sleep remedies and supplements. Make a short list of what the person most wants to regain, such as walking to the kitchen safely or using the stairs with confidence.
If a relative will join, agree this with the patient and check what information they want shared. A family account can add detail without replacing the patient perspective. Do not ask the person to demonstrate a risky movement or stand unsupported to provide a video in advance.
Should medicines change after a fall?
NICE recommends considering a structured medication review to identify medicines that may increase falls risk. The review should consider the reason for each medicine, the balance of benefit and harm and how any change would be monitored. A medicine associated with dizziness can still be important for another condition.
Do not stop blood-pressure tablets, sedatives, antidepressants or other prescribed treatment yourself. Some medicines require a planned reduction or specialist advice. Ask for a clear written list of any agreed changes and who will check the result.
What should happen after the assessment?
Leave with a plan that names the next action, who owns it and when it will be reviewed. That might include further assessment, a tailored exercise programme, home-hazard work, fracture-risk review or specialist advice. NICE recommends interventions tailored to the individual risk factors rather than giving everyone the same leaflet.
If symptoms worsen or a new acute concern develops, seek help rather than waiting for the follow-up date. Good continuity connects the visit to usual care with consent, so a helpful first assessment does not become another disconnected report.
What should a premium home assessment include?
A well-organised visit brings clinical time, a proper examination, careful review of the available records and a clear plan together in the place where care is needed. Ask how findings will be documented, who will organise agreed tests or referrals and how questions after the visit will be handled. Where family members are involved, agree what may be shared with the patient's permission. Convenience has most value when the next step is clear.
For published London market context, consultant geriatrician Dr Pandora Wright lists a home Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment at £685. That is a specialist service with its own scope, not a like-for-like GP visit or a Wellness tariff. It illustrates why professional role, preparation, reporting and follow-up belong alongside the headline fee. The Wellness team confirms an individual quote for the service it can arrange, including any separately agreed investigations or follow-up. A GP assessment does not imply that a consultant geriatrician is attending.
How do I arrange the right visit in London?
Send the team the postcode, the person's age, a brief description of the concern and the timing you are hoping for. Explain any stairs, access needs or communication support. Do not send a complete medical record through an informal enquiry; ask for the appropriate secure route. The team needs to confirm the suitable clinician, location, timing and full fee, rather than treating an enquiry as a confirmed attendance.
Enquire about a personalised doctor home assessment. You can also call 020 3951 3429.
Sources and evidence limits
- NICE NG249: 2025 falls assessment and prevention recommendations
- Published London specialist home-assessment scope and fees
This is general information, not a diagnosis, prescription or individual clearance for a procedure. Sources inform the discussion but do not imply endorsement of this clinic. Appointments, investigations and fees must be confirmed for the individual enquiry.