23.3.20 Community Heart Failure Services – Covid19 Plan
News
The Community Heart Failure service will continue to provide care for those patients who have been on their caseload in the last 12 months, in addition the consultants are identifying patients who are deemed to be at high risk, and these patients will be cared for by the HF team. This means:
- Services will continue to accept new referrals from GPs where the patient has a proven diagnosis (on Echo) of heart failure.
- Those without a proven diagnosis but with symptoms suggestive of heart failure should have NT-proBNP blood test to help with the differentiation of symptoms and appropriate secondary care referral.
- Hospital heart failure teams will continue to identify high risk patients who need support and follow-up after hospital admission
- Services will provide telephone consultations for routine up titration of medication for patients who are in the lower risk groups
All heart failure clinics run in primary care have been suspended for the foreseeable time – alternative follow-up arrangements will be made of patients who would normally attend these clinics.
- Patients will receive a copy of their care plan and what to do if they are worried – see attached/link
Higher risk patients will be triaged, and the community heart failure nurses will see patients who do not have covid19.
The service will have an advice line manned by HF nurses who will advise on patient care – Tel: 02381 203140
Heart failure patients who were under the care of the more than a year ago may wish to call the heart failure advice line if they are concerned
Please find attached information which is being issued to Heart failure patients who were under the care of the Community Heart Failure Team.
