London Cardiac Clinical Network key publications
Heart Failure
This report documents the outcome of the London Cardiac Clinical Network review of the current provision of heart failure services in the capital. It highlights the huge variability in heart failure care pathways across London, as well as, unsurprisingly, similar variability in admission rates, length of stay and readmission rates for patients with heart failure. Such variances in care must correspond to clear cost differentials between the best and worst performing areas.
London’s strategic clinical networks link with London paramedics to provide better care for cardiac patients
On 29 September, the London Cardiovascular Strategic Clinical Network (SCN) held an education event for London Ambulance Service (LAS) paramedics on ECG diagnosis and triaging patients with complete heart block (CHB) or ventricular tachycardia (VT). The event, attended by more than 100 paramedics, included information delivered by senior cardiologists from across London.
The training event was held in support of the successful June launch of a new pan London patient pathway for people with CHB or VT. Developed jointly between patients, clinicians, acute Trusts and the SCN. LAS now triages these patients and transports them directly to designated arrhythmia centres where they receive immediate specialist care.
Arrhythmia best practice
Complete heart block (CHB) and ventricular tachycardia (VT) triaging pathway case study highlighted in NHS England 2013/14 annual review, A year of putting patients first (see page 23).
Commissioning in the new world
Sara Nelson, Quality Improvement Lead in our London Strategic Clinical Networks was recently published in the British Journal of Cardiac Nursing. Her article describes the changes in commissioning and the imperative for front line staff to understand these changes. She talks about the role of Strategic Clinical Networks in providing expert clinical advice and collaborating with clinicians and commissioners across entire pathways.
Read the article: Nelson S (2014) Commissioning in the new world. British Journal of Cardiac Nursing 9(8): 370.
Improving quality, outcomes and uptake of Cardiac Rehabilitation in London; the challenge
This document has been developed as part of the London Cardiac Rehabilitation (CR) Services’ mapping project. The aim is to raise awareness of the project and highlight the challenges of improving uptake and completion rates (as set out in the Long Term Plan) in London, while also modernising the model and moving away from a “one size fits all” approach to personalised CR.
Resuscitation to Recovery: A National Framework to improve care of people with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) in England
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is attempted in nearly 30,000 people who suffer out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) in England each year, but survival rates are low and compare unfavourably to a number of other countries. This document aims to integrate the current recommendations and to describe the optimal clinical pathway for patients with OHCA. This can be used by Urgent and Emergency Care Networks, in Sustainability and Transformation Plans (STPs), and by local and regional healthcare systems to help save more lives.