Health Innovation North West Coast’s lifesaving partnership with Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service has led to another national award for a campaign to prevent strokes.
The fire service was awarded the NHS Healthcare Transformation Award for checking pulses in the Cheshire region to detect atrial fibrillation (AF) – an irregular heart rhythm which, if not detected, can lead to stroke.
It is the latest in a line of accolades for the fire service which has won several other awards for the AF detection work, carried out in collaboration with Halton Clinical Commissioning Group and Halton Borough Council’s Public Health Team, with support and funding from the Innovation Agency, the Academic Health Science Network for the North West Coast.
The programme has now won the Innovation in the Care of Long Term Conditions Award at the NHS Healthcare Transformation Awards - for the second consecutive year.
The recognition was for carrying out more than 1,000 screenings for atrial fibrillation during the firefighters’ Safe and Well Visits to the homes of vulnerable residents across Halton.
Since its inception, the Safe and Well Visits programme has won a Working Together award at the 2018 iESE Public Sector Transformation Awards; a 2017 Excellence in Fire and Emergency Award for Partnership of the Year; and a Showcasing Best Practice Award at the 2017 international Heart Rhythm Conference. It was also shortlisted in the public health category at the 2018 LGC Awards.
The service is now being offered in West Cheshire, South Cheshire and Vale Royal, with a plan to start working in East Cheshire in September 2018.
Detecting atrial fibrillation leads to earlier treatment – preventing a potential stroke.
The fire service partnership is estimated to have prevented more than five strokes. In the last 17 months, fire crews have carried out over 3,000 pulse checks and found an irregular pulse in 137 people. These residents have been advised to attend appointments with their GPs to potentially receive treatment – avoiding the risk of serious illness.
Mike Larking, Safe and Well Projects Manager for Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: “The role the NHS Innovation Agency played was crucial to the success of this work and the recognition it is now getting. We could not have implemented without your support and help.”
Cllr Bob Rudd, Chair of Cheshire Fire Authority, who attended this year’s NHS Healthcare Transformation Awards, added: “The large number of award wins for the Safe and Well Visits programme is fully deserved.
“It is also an excellent example of the public sector collaborating and partnering up, and using resources more effectively and efficiently for the people of Cheshire.”
People over the age of 65 can book a Safe and Well Visit via Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service’s website – www.cheshirefire.gov.uk
The fire service partnership is one of many initiatives carried out by the Innovation Agency and the national AHSN Network to prevent strokes. More information can be found at: www.innovationagencynwc.nhs.uk
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