You are here: Home > About us > News and events > News archive > 2012 > National recognition for prevention of blood clots

National recognition for prevention of blood clots

14 June 2012

Chelsea and Westminster has been named as an Exemplar Centre for venous thromboembolism (VTE) prevention by the NHS VTE Exemplar Centre Network for its work in preventing blood clots.

Photo: Dr Roopen Arya (Clinical Director, NHS VTE Exemplar Centre Network), Sheena Patel (Specialist Anticoagulation Pharmacist), Lynda Bonner (Consultant Nurse for Thrombosis and Anticoagulation, King’s College Hospital Thrombosis Centre), Dr Helen Yarranton (Consultant Haematologist) and Karen Smith (Quality Manager, NHS VTE Exemplar Centre Network)

Chelsea and Westminster has been named as an Exemplar Centre for venous thromboembolism (VTE) prevention by the NHS VTE Exemplar Centre Network for its work in preventing blood clots.

This is national recognition of the work done by many clinical staff to reduce the risk of patients developing blood clots either while they are in hospital or soon after they return home following a hospital stay.

We have  introduced an electronic risk assessment tool to identify patients at risk of blood clots when they are admitted to hospital so they can be offered preventative treatment and the ‘No more clots’ campaign has raised awareness of the issue among patients and staff.

The Trust’s designation as an Exemplar Centre for VTE prevention followed an assessment visit from Dr Roopen Arya, Clinical Director of the NHS VTE Exemplar Centre Network, and colleagues.

Dr Arya, who is also the Director of the Thrombosis Centre at King’s College Hospital, said: “Following my visit to Chelsea and Westminster I could see the commitment to VTE prevention as well as the quality of VTE services which was highly impressive.”

Dr Helen Yarranton, Consultant Haematologist at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, said: “Thank you to all staff involved in the assessment visit in April including the teams on Lord Wigram and Josephine Barnes wards and in the Urgent Care Centre.

“I would also like to thank the pharmacists for carrying out monthly audits to check whether the electronic risk assessment tool is being used when patients are admitted to hospital.”