2023 VTE Awards
NHS Teams from Wales swept the board at the recent national VTE Awards hosted by Lyn Brown MP and the charity, Thrombosis UK, on 29th November in the House of Commons.
The awards celebrate outstanding practice in the management, education and provision of venous thromboembolism (VTE) services across the UK.
Teams from Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, Cwm Taf Local Health Board, Royal Glamorgan Hospital and the ‘All Wales Hospital Acquired Thrombosis (HAT) Steering Group’ were awarded prizes and were joined by colleagues and MPs who shared their congratulations.
VTE also known as ‘thrombosis’ or ‘blood clots’ which include ‘deep vein thrombosis’ and ‘pulmonary embolism’, is a leading cause of hospital deaths and disability. Around 50% of all blood clots are associated with being admitted into hospital for illness or surgery.
Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board multi-disciple team were awarded first prize in the ‘Quality Improvement Award for their ‘APPLE’ approach, while the Pharmacy Led Anticoagulation Initiation and Monitoring Service at the Royal Glamorgan was awarded winner in the ‘Enhancing patient experience about VTE prevention’ category. The All-Wales HAT Group was recognised for outstanding work spanning over ten years resulting in significant improvement in staff training, awareness, patient safety and lives saved from potentially fatal blood clots.
There were special celebrations at the end of the ceremony when Cardiff based specialist nurse, Marilyn Rees, won the ‘VTE Unsung Hero’ award.
Marilyn’s tireless dedication and determination to go over and above in sharing her passion and enthusiasm in VTE prevention, has been instrumental in improving blood clot prevention and management across all the Welsh Health Boards and has shared learning from this work, internationally.
The VTE Awards judging panel were impressed by the extensive work and collaboration of teams across Wales and the clear benefit this was bringing to patient care and safety.
About Venous Thromboembolism (VTE)
VTE is a condition in which blood clots form (most often) in the deep veins of the leg (known as deep vein thrombosis, DVT) and can travel in the circulation and lodge in the lungs (known as pulmonary embolism, PE). VTE is a life-threatening but often preventable condition that affects millions of people worldwide.
- 1 in 4 people worldwide die of conditions caused by blood clots.
- Blood clots can affect anyone.
- If you have any unexplained pain especially in legs, an unexplained blackout, cough or breathlessness, seek medical advice and ask, “Could this be a blood clot?”
Contact details:
www.thrombosisuk.org
jo@thrombosisuk.org
We are pleased to welcome Christine Welburn to our Safety and Learning Team to support the VTE prevention programme.