Brent and Harrow communities score well nationally on heart failure care
06-Jul-2007
Press release
Heart failure care has been rated “excellent” in Brent and “good” in Harrow in a review of heart failure services by the Healthcare Commission.
The review assessed the quality of care for people with heart failure in each of England’s 303 healthcare communities – each consisting of a primary care trust and its main acute trust.
The Healthcare Commission looked at whether diagnosing patients with heart failure was being done effectively and swiftly, with adequate multi-disciplinary care; and whether patients and their carers, were being given enough education and support to have an active role in the management of their own care.
Fiona Wise, Chief Executive at The North West London Hospitals NHS Trust, said:
“People who live in Brent and Harrow should feel assured that the service provided to heart failure patients is of a high quality in both their communities. The review shows the PCTs and hospitals are working together to ensure patients have access to specialist support and services.”
Professor Roxy Senior, Lead Consultant for Heart Failure at The North West London Hospitals NHS Trust said:
“Here at Northwick Park Hospital and Central Middlesex Hospital, we have established a specialist heart failure service, run by nurses with the support of cardiologists. These specialist heart failure nurses work both in the hospital and in the community. This is clearly an effective way to manage heart failure.”
The North West London Hospitals NHS Trust and Brent Primary Care Trust (PCT) have recently been successful in a bid to the NHS Heart Improvement Programme to run a project to reduce the length of time in hospital for heart failure patients. This will be launched in September this year.
ends
Note to Editors:
- The North West London Hospitals NHS Trust is the main provider of acute hospital services in both Brent and Harrow, with Northwick Park Hospital and Central Middlesex Hospital.
- The Healthcare Commission’s report and relevant data, together with a briefing note is available at http://www.healthcarecommission.org.uk/heartfailuremediainformation.cfm
- Heart failure affects 900, 000 people in the UK. It arises most commonly following a heart attack or high blood pressure and is caused by a reduction in the heart’s ability to pump blood around the body. The condition can be extremely debilitating and comes with a high risk of sudden death – up to 40% of patients die within the first year of diagnosis. For more information go to www.bhf.org.uk