A step forward for Aortic Dissection care in the UK
Posted on 19th October 2023
Great news for our charity as our Chair, Gareth Owens, has been invited to join the NHS national steering group looking at the challenges of aortic dissection and future improvements in care.
Following an announcement from Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Steve Barclay, the group will bring together NHS commissioners, clinical experts, patients and charities to propose new measures to improve the management of aortic dissection, a life-threatening cardiovascular condition that kills more people in the UK each year than road traffic accidents.
Aortic Dissection Awareness Day
On 19th September, as we held the national flagship event Aortic Dissection Awareness Day UK at Royal Papworth Hospital, the Department of Health announced that the group would be created to review the whole patient pathway in aortic dissection and look at opportunities for future improvement, including the potential for genetic testing to find people at risk.
Improving patient outcomes
We know that many of our patients and families will be glad to hear this news, as we all understand the postcode lottery that currently exists with respect to care and outcomes in Aortic Dissection across the UK. We are grateful to Steve Barclay, the Department of Health and NHS England for inviting us to play our part in this initiative and ensure that the patient voice drives future improvements in care and outcomes for everyone.
Steve Barclay said ‘Aortic dissection can be a devastating condition and every year it takes the lives of more people that die on our roads, yet awareness is low. Changing that will save lives.’
Gareth Owens said ‘I’m delighted that our Government has taken note that Aortic Dissection is a 21st-century healthcare challenge that we need to invest in, just like we have done to save lives on our roads. As patients and relatives ourselves, we can point to what will make the most difference.’
Collaborative support
This initiative provides the national patient charity with a great opportunity to take part and improve the lives of people affected by this condition. The steering group has been asked to report back with options within 6 month. We hope that by enabling the group to focus on the real unmet needs of patients that we deal with every day, we can collaboratively support reaching a consensus on options and recommendations that contribute to our mission of improving outcomes and patient care for aortic dissection patients.