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Press releases
Lifeblood: The Thrombosis Charity comments on Chief Medical
Officer announcement
Release date: 19 April 2007
Lifeblood: The Thrombosis Charity has grave concerns that the Chief Medical Officer's (CMO) recommendations on Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) in hospitalised patients, published Thursday 19th April 2007, do not go far enough.
Dr Beverley Hunt, Medical Director for Lifeblood commented: "The fact that the Chief Medical Officer has recognised that the prevention of blood clots in hospital patients is the number one safety issue is a significant step, and it's good news that he has taken into account all of the charity's recommendations made to the All Party Parliamentary Health Select Committee in 2004. However, 2004 was some time ago and it seems that very little has moved forward since then."
"It is extremely disappointing that the recommendations of the expert group on VTE cannot be taken up more quickly. At this moment we feel that there is now yet another delay before preventative measures are fully implemented. We are very concerned about the slow response to this issue and to the lack of emphasis on its implementation which we know will lead to the continuing deaths caused by VTE - 25,000 plus people die a year due to a Pulmonary Embolism (PE)".
"Risk assessment for VTE is a non-invasive procedure and is very simple to carry out when people first arrive at hospital. The assessment will be based on a person's health history and other factors such as age and weight, and can very easily be incorporated into the current admission process. What is so sad is that VTE is a preventable condition and the routine risk assessment we are calling for will go a long way to reducing some of the deaths. These recommendations need to be effectively implemented and quickly - why do we have to await the report of yet another expert group?".
"We are baffled as to why it is so difficult to implement the advice from the leading experts in the field - we want to see far quicker progress to stop the needless deaths - which is why we will continue our "Stop the Clots" campaign and host such events as National Thrombosis Week to raise awareness of this silent killer."
ENDS
Media contact
Further information from Jacqui Marr on 01406
381017 or email information@thrombosis-charity.org.uk
Copyright
© Lifeblood: The Thrombosis Charity 2003-2006. A
company limited by guarantee. Registered Company No: 4354472.
Registered Charity No: 1090540
