Thrombosis UK is pleased to announce that entries are now being accepted for the charity's prestigious
VTE Awards
The awards celebrate outstanding practice across healthcare services working to prevent and embed effective management of venous thromboembolism (VTE).
Applications are welcomed from across healthcare services including secondary, primary and community care.
The Award ceremony will be held in The Houses of Parliament on Wednesday 29th November, hosted by Lyn Brown MP, Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Thrombosis.
Award categories:
The closing date for applications is 31st July 2023.
We are unable to consider late applications.
Thrombosis UK Award for work in VTE Prevention
This award is seeking an application/nomination that demonstrates the person/teams:
- Recognition of the issues and challenges of their existing services
- Planning to embed VTE risk assessment across daily practice
- Continual review and learning from root-cause analysis
- Education of all hospital staff
- Sustainable implementation
Thrombosis UK Award for advancing awareness and information sharing of cancer acquired thrombosis (CAT)
This award is seeking an application/nomination that demonstrates a service which has
- Recognised the issues and challenges of thrombosis prevention in patients being treated for an active cancer
- Training for all staff involved in cancer care, to embed awareness of associated risks of thrombosis, prevention protocols and counselling of patients
- Provision of patient information on cancer associated thrombosis
- Sustainable implementation
Enhancing Patient Experience
Venous thromboembolism (VTE) affects between 1-2 per 1000 adults globally. It has been estimated that in the U.K, upwards of 32,000 cases of hospital-associated VTE would occur every year without the use of thromboprophylaxis in hospitals;[i] and it remains a leading preventable cause of hospital death. While most VTEs occur after hospital admission the consequences of a VTE episode for the individual can have long-lasting and life-changing outcomes.
The NCEPOD 2019 publication ‘Know The Score’ evidenced wide variation in care for patients diagnosed with pulmonary embolism (PE), this included:
- Inadequate and variable access to written or verbal information
- Inadequate follow up appointments for more than 16% of patients diagnosed with a PE
This award recognises outstanding work undertaken by an individual or team to address gaps and opportunities in the VTE care pathway that recognises the physical and psychological impact a VTE can cause and works to ensure all patients receive information, are reviewed and have opportunity to discuss their VTE treatment and are sign posted to sources of further support.
[i] Ref: https://thrombosisuk.org/downloads/PE_Summary_report.pdf
Thrombosis UK Award for an outstanding patient resource, sharing information about VTE prevention for patients and carers
This award recognises work undertaken by an individual or team to address gaps in patient information on the prevention of blood clots, awareness of risk factors, signs, symptoms and the importance of seeking help if a blood clot is suspected, or area of management after a diagnosis of thrombosis.
Thrombosis UK Award for an excellent Quality Improvement programme that advanced practice in thrombosis prevention or management.
This is an award given to an individual or team who have identified an area of concern across VTE prevention, management or patient experience, and as a result, undertaken a Quality Improvement programme which yielded significant and sustainable improvement in the identified area leading to improved patient outcomes.
VTE pathway award for leading to improved timely diagnosis of thrombosis
Acute deep-vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism, are components of venous thromboembolism (VTE), is a common and potentially life-threatening disorder.i,ii
The diagnosis of DVT and PE relies on clinical suspicion, followed by investigation including a Wells score and D-dimer assay, imaging, and intervention with anticoagulation as soon as possible.iii Short-term anticoagulation is effective, in reducing the risk of recurrent disease due to DVT from 25% to approximately 3% during the first 6 to 12 months.iv
This award seeks nominations for a team / service which can evidence the improvement in patient outcome through implementation of an effective DVT &/or PE pathway. It will be able to evidence both improved outcome, patient experience and clinician support to initiate examination and investigation for thrombosis.
[i] Geerts WH, Heit JA, Clagett GP, Pineo GF, Colwell CW, Anderson FA Jr, et al. Prevention of venous thromboembolism. Chest 2001;119(Suppl 1):132S–75S.
[ii] Geerts WH, Pineo GF, Heit JA, Bergqvist D, Lassen MR, Colwell CW, et al. Prevention of venous thromboembolism: the Seventh ACCP Conference on Antithrombotic and Thrombolytic Therapy. Chest 2004;126(Suppl 3):338–400S.
[iii] NICE. Venous thromboembolic diseases: the management of venous thromboembolic diseases and the role of thrombophilia testing. Clinical Guideline 144. June 2012. Available at: http://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/CG144 (accessed March 2015).
[iv] Hutten BA, Prins MH. Duration of treatment with vitamin K antagonists in symptomatic venous thromboembolism. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2006;1:CD001367.