Programme: Atrial Fibrillation Positively affecting stroke prevention Mobile ECG devices and better training are helping to reduce the number of strokes among people with atrial fibrillation More than 1.4 million people in England are living with atrial fibrillation (AF), a major risk factor for stroke. Some 400,000 of them are not aware that they have the condition. Even those who have been diagnosed don’t always receive the best treatment. and, as a result, some of them go on to suffer debilitating strokes. Optimal detection and treatment of AF would prevent up to 14,200 strokes and save £240 million in health costs, according to the NHS report The Size of the Prize in Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) Prevention. Eastern AHSN has helped to improve detection of AF and reduce the number of avoidable AF-related strokes in the region by supporting the adoption and spread of best practice. Our work is part of a national AF programme led by the AHSN Network. Over the past year, we have distributed around 600 mobile ECG devices to improve AF detection at 400 sites across the region, including GP practices, hospitals and community services. These single-lead devices make it possible to identify patients with suspected AF, enabling them to undergo further investigation, diagnosis and treatment. Eastern AHSN has also promoted training events for more than 200 clinicians through the AHSN Network Preventing AF-related Stroke Accelerating Action and Collaboration series, held a specific GP, pharmacist and nurse upskilling training day in Newmarket and supported the Arrythmia Alliance Cardiac Upskilling Programme in the region. We have supported the Screening and Optimising Stroke Prevention in Atrial Fibrillation (SOS-AF) service at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Over the past year, the team has seen around 15,000 people, identified 400 people with AF and prevented around 16 strokes. The estimated first year saving to the NHS from these 16 cases alone is £354,000. The SOS-AF service was recognised in the AF Association Healthcare Pioneers Report 2019 and shortlisted for the BMJ Awards, which celebrate exceptional healthcare. We are delighted that six out of 13 clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) in the region now achieve the AHSN Network target of 84 per cent of people at risk of stroke being treated with anticoagulation medicines – up from zero CCGs the previous year. What next? Eastern AHSN is focusing on NHS England’s extra £9 million investment to treat people at high risk of stroke and is supporting Great Yarmouth and Waveney Clinical Commissioning Group – one of 23 CCGs in the AF demonstrator project. Specialist clinicians will help identify people who could benefit from anticoagulation medication and more than 800 patients will be reviewed over the next 12 months. Eastern AHSN will continue to support the upskilling of GPs and healthcare professionals through training events. We are also working with Lea Valley Health GP federation and Pfizer on AF virtual clinics to improve detection and protection of the population with AF, in line with CCG pathways, NICE guidance and best practice “I am very grateful for the stroke-prevention service identifying my risk of stroke. My AF was explained very clearly, and I felt able to make the decision to start blood-thinning tablets. I feel safe now I am protected. I was also grateful that the nurse saw me on a day I was a”lready visiting the hospital Patient reviewed by the SOS-AF service at Cambridge University Hospitals Atrial fibrillation and stroke: the facts Learn more about the screening service Atrial fibrillation and stroke: the facts ● AF is the most common type of irregular heart rhythm ● It contributes to one in five strokes and is associated with an increased rate of death ● About 1.4 million people in England have AF – around 2.5 per cent of the population ● Almost a third of cases go undetected, and people with a diagnosis don’t always receive treatment ● A stroke can be life-threatening and people who survive are often left with long-term problems caused by injury to their brain ● Each stroke costs the NHS and social care £22,175 in the first year alone. “Following the SOS-AF talk, I will be more proactive in my anticoagulation management with my AF patients... I have since reviewed patients who were not previously thought suitable for anticoagulation and, as a result, a number are now protected from stroke” Cambridgeshire GP Programme: Atrial Fibrillation Positively affecting stroke prevention Mobile ECG devices and better training are helping to reduce the number of strokes among people with atrial fibrillation More than 1.4 million people in England are living with atrial fibrillation (AF), a major risk factor for stroke. Some 400,000 of them are not aware that they have the condition. Even those who have been diagnosed don’t always receive the best treatment. and, as a result, some of them go on to suffer debilitating strokes. Optimal detection and treatment of AF would prevent up to 14,200 strokes and save £240 million in health costs, according to the NHS report The Size of the Prize in Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) Prevention. Eastern AHSN has helped to improve detection of AF and reduce the number of avoidable AF-related strokes in the region by supporting the adoption and spread of best practice. Our work is part of a national AF programme led by the AHSN Network. Over the past year, we have distributed around 600 mobile ECG devices to improve AF detection at 400 sites across the region, including GP practices, hospitals and community services. These single-lead devices make it possible to identify patients with suspected AF, enabling them to undergo further investigation, diagnosis and treatment. Eastern AHSN has also promoted training events for more than 200 clinicians through the AHSN Network Preventing AF-related Stroke Accelerating Action and Collaboration series, held a specific GP, pharmacist and nurse upskilling training day in Newmarket and supported the Arrythmia Alliance Cardiac Atrial fibrillation and stroke: the facts Upskilling Programme in the region. We have supported the Screening and Optimising Stroke Prevention in Atrial Fibrillation (SOS-AF) service at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Over the past year, the team has seen around 15,000 people, identified 400 people with AF and prevented around 16 strokes. The estimated first year saving to the NHS from these 16 cases alone is £354,000. The SOS-AF service was recognised in the AF Association Healthcare Pioneers Report 2019 and shortlisted for the BMJ Awards, which celebrate exceptional healthcare. What next? We are delighted that six out of 13 clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) in the region now achieve the AHSN Network target of 84 per cent of people at risk of stroke being treated with anticoagulation medicines – up from zero CCGs the previous year. video box Eastern AHSN is focusing on NHS England’s extra £9 million investment to treat people at high risk of stroke and is supporting Great Yarmouth and Waveney Clinical Commissioning Group – one of 23 CCGs in the AF demonstrator project. Specialist clinicians will help identify people who could benefit from anticoagulation medication and more than 800 patients will be reviewed over the next 12 months. Eastern AHSN will continue to support the upskilling of GPs and healthcare professionals through training events. We are also working with Lea Valley Health GP federation and Pfizer on AF virtual clinics to improve detection and protection of the population with AF, in line with CCG pathways, NICE guidance and best practice Learn more about the screening service “I am very grateful for the stroke-prevention service identifying my risk of stroke. My AF was explained very clearly, and I felt able to make the decision to start blood-thinning tablets. I feel safe now I am protected. I was also grateful that the nurse saw me on a day I was already visiting the hospital” Patient reviewed by the SOS-AF service at Cambridge University Hospitals