Transcript Document
St Albans and Harpenden PCT
Heart Failure Service
Dr Kate Mackay
Director of Public Health
Heart Failure Service
NSF Coronary Heart Disease
Standard 11
NSF Standard 11
Doctors should arrange for people with suspected
heart failure to be offered appropriate
investigations (including electrocardiography,
echocardiography) that will confirm or refute the
diagnosis. For those in whom heart failure is
confirmed, its cause should be identified – the
treatments most likely to both relieve symptoms
and reduce their risk of death should be offered.
NSF Standard 11
Milestone 2
By April 2001, every primary care team
should have:
A systematically developed and maintained
practice-based CHD register, including
people with heart failure, and actively used
to provide structured care to people with
CHD
NSF Standard 11
Milestone 3
By April 2003 every primary care team
should have:
A protocol describing the systematic
assessment, treatment and follow-up of
people with heart failure agreed locally and
being used to provide structured care to
people with heart failure.
PCT Health Plan
Heart Failure
NUMBER ONE PRIORITY
Hertfordshire Health Economy is
considerably behind the NSF Milestone for
Heart Failure. There is an urgent need:
To train GPs in the management of heart
failure in order to redesign the model of
care across primary and secondary care;
PCT Health Plan
For new investment in B-type natriuretic
peptide (BNP) testing as a screening tool for
heart failure before using echocardiography.
BNP testing has an almost 100% accuracy for
negative values. This would reduce the number
of unnecessary echocardiograms.
To increase the provision of echos. Training for
one GP as a Specialist per PCT to provide this
is necessary.
PCT Health Plan
For “outreach” follow-up by specialist nurses
to provide care at the primary/secondary
interface.
For written protocols for heart failure diagnosis
and management.
To include people with heart failure on the
CHD register.
To provide specialist palliative care nurses for
heart failure and to provide multi-disciplinary
support.
Heart Failure Service
Revenue funding agreed in the Health Plan for
2003/4
Capital funding for echocardiograph secured
Autumn 2003
GPwSPi appointed late 2003
2 Heart Failure Specialist nurses appointed
early 2004
Echo ordered April 2004
Service to be provided within Runcie Unit St
Albans City Hospital
Heart Failure & BNP
Dr Richard Pile
GPwSI in Heart Failure
Heart Failure – the facts
• Syndrome resulting from any structural
or functional cardiac disorder that
impairs the ability of the heart to
function as a pump
• 900, 000 people in the UK
• 1 in 35 people aged 65-74
• 1 in 7 aged over the aged of 85
• Commonest cause in UK is CHD
• 40% die within the first year of diagnosis
Heart Failure.. more facts!
• average GP looks after 30 patients with
heart failure
• Diagnosis suspected in >10 new patients
per year
• Costs the NHS £716 million per year
• 2% of NHS inpatient bed days, and 5 % of
acute medical admissions
• This is going to increase in future
Management of Heart Failure
• NICE guidance published 2003
• for adult patients with chronic heart
failure
• aims to symptoms/signs/Ix to establish
Dx
• also gives guidance on the treatment,
monitoring and support of patients with
heart failure.
• http://www.nice.org.uk/pdf/CG5NICEguide
line.pdf
NICE algorithm
Brain Natriuretic Peptide
• It’s difficult to diagnose heart failure clinically
• ECG can be used to rule out but requires
confidence and competence in interpretation
• BNP is a potential aide to diagnosis:
– Released from cardiac ventricles in response to
stretching of chambers
– Good test for ruling out heart failure (negative
predictive value = 98%)
– Correlates with ejection fraction and prognosis
Heart failure care pathway –
stage 1
1. New suspected heart failure (NOT for
retrospective checking of practice register)
2. Investigation including ECG and BNP
3. If either of above abnormal, refer to
secondary care for cardiac opinion/ECHO
(as per GMS 2!)
4. Diagnosis made, advice re management
and follow up as appropriate
Heart Failure care pathway –
Stage 2
• Direct access to GPwSI-led Heart Failure clinic,
unless patient has exclusion criteria
• ECHO done, to assess predominantly LV function.
• Info given to patient, introduction to Heart Failure
nurses if diagnosis confirmed
• Management plan, support and follow up for
patient and PHCT arranged. Involvement of
secondary care as necessary.
Heart failure care pathway Summary
• Heart failure is a common, complex and serious
syndrome
• It is difficult to diagnose clinically, and to manage
• We can improve the diagnosis, investigation,
management, and outcome for our patients
• This local service is now being implemented to
facilitate this, predominantly in a primary
care/community setting
Heart Failure clinical team
• PRIMARY CARE:
– Richard Pile –
– Gail Stevens –
– Lindsay Farmer –
GPwSI in Heart Failure
Heart Failure nurse
Heart failure nurse
• SECONDARY CARE:
– John Bayliss –
Consultant cardiologist
– Gillian Harding – Cardiology lead nurse
– Chandra Ratnarajah – Heart failure liason nurse
The Role of the Heart Failure
Nurse
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Aims of the service
Patient-specific objectives
Service-specific objectives
Financial advantages
Aims of the service
• To improve the post-discharge management
of patients with chronic heart failure.
• To improve the quality of life of patients
with chronic heart failure
• To avoid unnecessary hospital readmissions
• To provide seamless care between primary
and secondary care
Patient-specific objectives
• To assess patients in their home environment and
plan for their future needs in accordance with the
service guidelines
• To review the prescribed medication regimen to
ensure that patients receive appropriate
pharmacotherapy in effective doses.
• To work to agreed prescription guidelines drawn
up in conjunction with general practitioners and
cardiologists
• To monitor the patient's clinical status and
blood chemistry following medication changes
• To ensure appropriate and effective
communication between the patient, general
practitioner, carer, ambulance services,
hospital, social services, and all other healthcare professionals involved in the patient's care
• To provide patients, families, and carers with
tailored education, advice, and support.
• To act as a resource for other health-care
professionals involved with the patient.
• To advise the patient on life-style changes that
would be advantageous to their health
• To encourage patients (and their family or
carers as appropriate) to be actively involved
in managing and monitoring their own care
• To provide easy access for patients, family,
and carers to contact the specialist nurse in
order to detect and treat early clinical
deterioration before symptoms become severe
Service-specific objectives
• To ensure that the overall nursing and medical
care provided keeps pace with research
evidence
• To monitor, evaluate, and audit the service at
regular intervals to ensure both a high standard
of care and the effectiveness of the service as a
whole in improving health outcomes.
• To facilitate effective links with other healthcare services relevant to the care of the patient
with chronic heart failure
Can we afford not to
implement?