• Hospital gets serious about taking a fall
He is one of many patients at the hospital who are having their falls risk assessed and a falls prevention plan put in place so they do not suffer injuries inside the hospital.
Dunedin Hospital surgical services nurse director Sharon Jones said all patients were at risk of falls while in hospital.
About 30% of falls occurred when people were on the way to the toilet.
Something as simple as ensuring patients were not walking in bed socks or poorly fitting fluffy slippers might be all that was needed to avoid falls for some patients.
Patients' footwear is one of 17 risk factors assessed as part of the individualised programme designed to reduce the number of falls in the hospital.
Mr Payne scored full marks for his closely-fitting socks and rubber-soled slippers, although he said he did have some difficulty getting his footwear on when his feet swelled.
Ms Jones said individual plans were designed to take such things into account.
Another common reason for falls was related to medications where interactions or changes might affect balance.
In some instances, it could be a matter of educating the patient to move gradually from lying to sitting and standing to avoid a fall.
Ms Jones said the plan was reviewed at least weekly and hopefully at a time when family members were present.
It was also important for the hospital to know how patients would cope when they got home.
Simple things such as removing any loose mats in the house, including those around toilets, could help avoid another fall.
Mr Payne, whose injury did not occur at home, said he was not worried about his return home.
He had a "very healthy wife" who had broken a hip herself in the past - "nothing is going to happen because of carelessness".
Ms Jones said while the falls prevention plan included some generic measures such as ensuring patients' items were at easy reach at all times, it was the tailoring of plans to individual's needs which made them most effective.
