BHF comment
British Cardiology Society presents new ways of delivering cardiac care
The British Cardiovascular Society (BCS) has published a report highlighting the positive ways in which cardiac care has had to be adapted in light of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic with patients at the core of these changes. This is a move that we have thrown our support behind.
The BCS report, called The Future of Cardiology, acknowledges the need for cardiac services to be resilient during future peaks of Covid-19 so that heart and circulation patients do not experience unnecessary delays that could negatively impact their health.
The report showcases these innovations and outlines how they can be incorporated into routine clinical practice.
For example, it throws a spotlight onto how cardiac rehab has had to rapidly change in order to deliver a better service for patients as people are no longer able to attend in-person sessions. The report calls for most consultations to be done over the telephone or online, reducing the need for patients to travel to hospital.
At the British Heart Foundation, we have also adapted our cardiac rehab offer for a post-Covid-19 world, as we have recently rolled out our cardiac rehab services online to ensure that everyone who needs the potentially life saving service is still able to receive it.
The report also discusses how referrals from primary care to a cardiology service should be made electronically through a single triage portal, and that virtual clinics should be the mainstay to minimise attendance at clinics.
Jacob West, our Director of Healthcare Innovation, said: “Never waste a crisis, they say. Covid-19 has exposed the limitations of our health and care system, but also its ingenuity in adversity. It’s vital that innovations in cardiovascular care that have emerged during the pandemic – from virtual clinics to diagnosing conditions in the community – are properly assessed and become part of the new normal in NHS service delivery.
“Capitalising on such innovations could rapidly improve patient care, reduce hospital admissions and relieve pressure on our already overstretched health system.”
Find out what Covid-19 Coronavirus means to you, if you have heart and circulatory diseases.