News

Kettering General Hospital teams that support patients who need protection from dangerous blood clots have been shortlisted for a national award in two categories. 

  The Anticoagulation and Venous Thromboembolism teams are in the finals of Thrombosis UK’s prestigious VTE Awards. 

  The awards celebrate outstanding practice across healthcare services to prevent and embed the effective management of venous thromboembolism (VTE) – a condition which occurs when a blood clot forms in a vein. 

  The KGH teams have been shortlisted in two categories. The VTE team for the Excellent Quality Improvement Programme and the Anticoagulation Team for enhancing the Patient Experience. https://thrombosisuk.org/vte-awards.php 

  The Excellent Quality Improvement programme is an award given for improvement work that has led to better patient outcomes. 

KGH’s VTE Prevention Nurse Sara Williams, said: “Since 2020 we have significantly raised the profile of VTE prevention at KGH and have been working very hard to underline its importance with our clinical teams and directly with patients. 

“Work has included a VTE training package for the induction of all new and existing staff and developing a dedicated Practice Improvement Facilitator team who meet on a quarterly basis to support VTE prevention throughout the Trust.

“In addition we carry out audits that rate how well different areas of the Trust are doing in VTE prevention so that improvements can be made and we know where we need to do more work to support excellent practice. 

“Overall our patients benefit from having a dedicated VTE team who work together, are visible, and monitor and support all ways of reducing the risks of blood clots.” 

The VTE patient experience award is for outstanding work undertaken to improve care in ways that recognise the physical and psychological impact of a VTE, and engage and educate patients in their treatment. 

KGH’s Lead Nurse for Anticoagulation, Tess Page, said: “We have a nurse-led anticoagulation service supported by a consultant haematologist, administration team, heathcare assistants, and domiciliary phlebotomists, who care for about 1,700 patients a year who are prescribed Warfarin. 

“Any patient who has a VTE is flagged on our IT system and then a nurse specialist follows up with the team looking after them, meets the patient, discusses the diagnosis, and supports them with information and advice. 

“We deliver ongoing care to patients through a multidisciplinary team that meets weekly to discuss individual patients and we share the information and any changes to care with their GPs and other teams as needed.” 

Patient comments from a regular questionnaire have included:

: “Staff were extremely caring and told me what they were doing. All very pleasant.” 

“From start to finish everything explained, all questions answered, I never felt rushed and was pleased with the patience shown 

“From stepping through the door I was looked after every step of the way by lovely staff.” 

“The Nurses were very kind and professional.” 

Tess said: “All patients diagnosed with a VTE event within the hospital will either have a ward visit completed by anticoagulation nurses during their hospital stay or they will be contacted by the team after being discharged. 

“We aim to deliver the very best care to them, to explain fully what has happened, what they need to do, and how to work with us to prevent any reoccurrence.” 

The Award ceremony will be held in The Houses of Parliament on Wednesday, November 29, hosted by Lyn Brown MP, Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Thrombosis.