Venous thromboembolic disease (VTE) including pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis is thought to be responsible for over 25,000 potentially preventable deaths in UK hospital patients – five times the estimated number of deaths per year from hospital- acquired infections.
Reduction of avoidable death, disability and chronic ill health from VTE is a major clinical priority. Many cases are not detected, so prevention is key to saving lives and reducing long-term ill-health. In monetary terms, long term disability caused by VTE costs approx. £640 million pounds per year (DH, 2009).
The regional VTE programme aims to ensure every health organisation in the East Midlands is adding value through sharing best practice and using evidence appropriately to improve VTE prevention.
The programme's overarching objective is to:
By:
-
Mandating preventative measures of hospital acquired venous thromboembolism (VTE), including risk assessment
-
Improving the percentage of patients routinely assessed for risk of VTE
-
Benchmarking current prescribing rates for thrombo prophylaxis against NICE guidance and undertake proxy measurements of rates of DVT, PE and other related complications post major surgery and/or hospital admission
-
Encouraging best practice implementation of risk based guidelines for thrombo prophylaxis (and ongoing programme of audit) as a minimum standard of care in each health system across the East Midlands.
-
Ensure appropriate education re: VTE prevention is incorporated into all healthcare professional training, induction & updating programmes.
-
Improve patient involvement in their own individual VTE prevention.
Progress so far:
-
We have established Regional Learning & Sharing Networks Trust VTE Lead staff
-
We have reached a regional agreement on cohort exclusions re: VTE risk assessment.
-
Through the Network, we have identified and shared electronic risk assessment tools.
-
We have shared best methods to improve risk assessment compliance
-
We have mandated a full review of VTE related deaths with root cause analysis investigation where indicated. We have shared templates for investigations.
-
We have provided focused peer support for Trust VTE Leads as needed
-
We have highlighted the requirements for achievement of exemplar site status.
Ongoing work:
-
Sharing staff training packages/ e.learning assessment competence tools
-
Sharing audit tool & audit feedback mechanisms
-
Sharing patient information leaflets & patient involvement processes
-
To continue to work with universities/training institutions and Trust leads to ensure appropriate VTE prevention education is available to all staff.
Useful Links:
Further Documents, resources & useful information via : https://www.eoe.nhs.uk/page.php?page_id=779
Kings Thrombosis Centre – National VTE Exemplar Centre Network via: http://www.kingsthrombosiscentre.org.uk/cgi-bin/kingsthrombosis/index.pl
NICE guidance via: http://guidance.nice.org.uk/CG92
RCN guidance on VTE via : http://www.rcn.org.uk/development/practice/patient_safety/vte
