Network

What is the impact of personalised healthcare for stroke?

 

21st February 2012, Bristol Marriott Hotel City Centre, Bristol

Giving people control of a budget to buy the healthcare they want is a new approach to giving patients what they need from the NHS. The AGWSCS Network is one of 20 fully evaluated pilot sites for personal health budgets (PHB) and the only site that is focussing on stroke.

This half day event is an opportunity to hear about the progress of the pilot and to understand the impact on patients and their families, commissioning practices, the staff who support  those living with stroke and the third sector.

To find out more about the event click here

To register for this event please click here 

Stayin' Alive with Vinnie Jones

30,000 people have a cardiac arrest outside of hospital each year. In most cases there is enough oxygen in the blood to keep you alive, as long as someone keeps it pumping around your body by pushing your chest until an ambulance arrives. The British Heart Foundation have launched this campaign to teach hard and fast hands-only CPR in a bid to increase the number of people who survive cardiac arrest.

For further information click here

Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest Symposium - presentations

13th January 2012, Bristol

Out of hospital cardiac arrest is a common event that kills over 90% of its victims. With advances in resuscitation techniques, particularly by well-trained ambulance crews, a number of patients are brought alive to hospital. Usually such patients are managed by the critical care teams. This popular symposium concentrated on advances in the management of such cases, and in particular the role of cardiologists acting as part of the critical care team to enhance the possibility of full recovery. The role of active brain cooling in patient management was also considered.

We hope to take this work forward at a Network level to improve provision across the region.

Presentations:

Pre-hospital Critical Care and the role of the Emergency Department by Professor Jonathan Benger click here

Therapeutic cooling - evidence and optimising the process by Dr Jerry Nolan click here

Intensive Care - cardiovascular parameters by Dr Matt Thomas (not currently available)

Cardiac Arrest Pathway: a progression from PPCI by Dr Andreas Baumbach (not currently available)

A patient perspective by Keith Douglas click here

Delivering the Service by Ali Mann click here

 

South West & South Wales Regional Teaching in Adult Congenital Heart Disease - Intermediate ACHD

28th March 2012, Bristol

CPD points waited - typically 5

85% children born with congenital heart disease now survive into adulthood and the number of adult patients with CHD now exceeds the number of children. It is therefore becoming increasingly common for general cardiologists to come across adult patients with congenital heart disease on their wards and in their clinics.

Although Bristol remains the regional referral centre for these patients and the centre for intervention and surgery, it is important for cardiologists and trainees working in other hospitals throughout the region to have a working knowledge of the common lesions encountered and their management.

The aim of this training programme is to offer education to all cardiologists and trainees in the South West and South Wales region so that they might be more confident in caring for ACHD patients.

This session is part of a rolling programme of training which has been a great success since it started in 2009;

'this is a major development for SpR training and ought to be compulsory.'

'Very good content. Good speakers and interesting cases.'

For further information click here

For registration details click here

Flu vaccine for Long Term Conditions

Free flu jabs are available to people who have a long term condition. This includes diabetes, chest problems or breathing difficulties, a heart condition, kidney or liver disease, a neurological condition, a low immune system and those who have had a stroke.

People with long term conditions that do catch flu are at risk of serious complications developing.  Patients who haven’t already received a letter from their GP surgery should contact them direct to make an appointment.  Doing it sooner rather than later is best as it takes up to 10 days to take effect.

To find out more about the flu vaccine, please contact your GP practice or visit www.nhs.uk

To download the Seasonal Flu information leaflet click here

Healthcare pioneers - innovative practice in Atrial Fibrillation

The Atrial Fibrillation Association has published a collection of case studies of successful AF projects from across the patient pathway which aim to bring about earlier diagnosis, better care and easier access to expert advice for patients.

Two of the ten projects featured come from our Network area.

Dave Coates of Great Western Ambulance has implemented an innovative programme of screening 999 callers for undiagnosed AF and high blood pressure using the principles of the Stroke Association Know Your Blood Pressure campaign.

'If it is found the caller has AF or hypertension, they are provided with advice and a patient information letter. Following the ambulance visit, the clinician completes a GP notification letter and hands this over to the patient or carer for delivery to their GP the next working day.'

The Network Strike at Stroke Anticoagulate! programme also recieved recognition of it's success in improving the treatment of AF in GP practices. The Network currently has the highest number of AF patients audited using the GRASP-AF tool in the country and the highest number of new patients receiving anticoagulation as a result of our incentivised programmes in primary care. 

Further details of our AF work can be found here.

To read the Healthcare Pioneers brochure click here