Heart failure services in North Central London
Heart failure is a clinical syndrome characterised by symptoms such as breathlessness, fatigue and fluid retention. It is caused when the heart is unable to pump enough blood fast enough to meet the needs of the body. Most cases are due to coronary heart disease and damage following a heart attack. Heart failure affects 900,000 people in the UK and is particularly prevalent among older people.
The condition accounts for about 5% of all medical admissions to hospital, and rates of re-admission are also among the highest for any common condition in the UK. Providing services to patients with heart failure costs the NHS an estimated £625 million each year. Research indicates that care provided by effective multidisciplinary teams can have a positive impact on outcomes for patients and their quality of life (Healthcare Commission 2007).
The North Central London Heart Failure Task group was established with the aim of further development of heart failure services within the sector. Membership of the task group consists of HF clinicians (GP's, consultants and nurses), palliative care clinicians, commissioners, public health experts and managers from across the sector.
This year the group has set themselves objective to reduce unnecessary admissions, improve the quality of the medical treatment received on first admission and move more specialist care closer to the patient.