‘Stark’ differences found between heart failure services in UK

According to a recent study, led by pharmaceutical firm Novartis, heart failure patients throughout the UK are facing a ‘postcode lottery’ in the NHS care they receive.

Although the worst-performing regions have not been named, the research revealed a ‘lack of consistency’ and ‘worrying wide variation’ in the levels of care delivered across the home nations, and the British Heart Foundation have described the differences as being ‘stark’.

Health watchdog NICE revised its guidelines on the treatment of chronic heart failure last year, advising that hospital units involving the treatment of patients with heart failure have a specialist trained in the condition, such as a cardiologist.

However, a survey of up to 80 health providers through the country found that one in seven services have no such specialist and in 25 per cent of services, patients with heart failure are cared for by just one or two nurses.

Study leader Helena Masters, said “These findings show that there is a worrying lack of consistency in heart failure services provided across the UK.

“Around one in seven of the services surveyed don’t have either a consultant or a lead physician who specialises in heart failure.”

The British Heart Foundation’s associate medical director Professor Metin Avkiran, said “This is a long-term condition that often gets worse over time.

“As well as the day to day challenges, people with heart failure are more likely to suffer a stroke and late-stage heart failure has very poor survival.”

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Posted by Karen Motley, Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk ), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.

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