Consultant shares best practice with parliamentary group

A consultant from the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital has been asked to present best practice in preventing hospital associated blood clots to a parliamentary group next week.

Dr Peter Woodhouse will be presenting to the All-Party Parliamentary Thrombosis Group at the House of Commons on the 23rd November. The Norfolk and Norwich University is an exemplar centre for the prevention and care of hospital associated hospital associated thrombosis

The hospital team also won the national thrombus innovation awards at the Royal Society of Medicine this year for their campaign to raise awareness and increase the number of risk assessments for patients.

It is estimated that up to 10,000 deaths a year could be prevented nationally if the risks of thromboembolism (VTE), or blood clots, are properly addressed. The anticoagulation and thrombosis team at NNUH has worked hard to raise awareness of this issue and to ensure that all patients who are admitted to hospital undergo a thorough risk assessment.

Much of the team’s success is due to a “click for clots” campaign to encourage staff to access guidelines, forms and useful links on the Trust intranet, including information for patients. Since the campaign was launched in February the number of patients fully assessed for the risk of clots while in hospital has risen from 46 per cent to 95per cent.

VTE prevention is a major priority for the NHS nationally and the exemplar centres are chosen to demonstrate and promote best practice for hospital trusts.

“I’m grateful to have the opportunity to share the NNUH’s pioneering experience in investigating and attempting to reduce the burden of Hospital Associated Thrombosis (HAT) with colleagues from around the country.’” says Dr Peter Woodhouse, consultant physician and chair of the Thromboprophylaxis and Thrombosis Committee.