Webinar with Jon Boyle, Clinical Lead for Vascular Surgery at GIRFT

On Thursday 3rd April, 2:30pm – 3:30pm, the APPG on Vascular and Venous Disease (VVAPPG) held a webinar with the Jon Boyle, Clinical Lead for Vascular Surgery at Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT).

The webinar was an opportunity to discuss GIRFT’s upcoming priorities, discuss challenges, and improvements in vascular surgical care, along with recommendations for optimising patient outcomes. This session also highlighted opportunities for continued engagement between GIRFT and the VVAPPG to drive ongoing improvements in the field.

Additionally, we are delighted that one of our members Robin Swann MP, former Health Secretary in Northern Ireland, agreed to chair the webinar. We were grateful that Robin chaired the webinar bringing his expertise to the discussion, demonstrating his commitment to improving vascular and venous health ensuring a thoughtful and engaging dialogue.

Please see this link which will allow you to watch the recording of the webinar: VVAPPG Webinar_ Jon Boyle Clinical Lead for Vascular Surgery at GIRFT-20250403_144203-Meeting Recording.mp4

Inaugural General Meeting of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Vascular and Venous Disease

On Wednesday 23rd October at 8:30am the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Vascular and Venous Disease held its Inaugural General Meeting. There was a formal election of officers and the Group's income and expenditure statement for publication was agreed.

The following officers were elected:

• Jim Shannon, Democratic Unionist Party MP for Strangford - Chair and registered contact

• Peter Prinsley MP, Labour Party MP for Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket – Officer

• Matt Bishop MP, Labour Party MP for Forest of Dean - Officer

• Lord Lansley CBE, Member of the House of Lords – Officer

Healthcomms Consulting Ltd as part of the PLMR Group was reappointed as Secretariat.

The purpose statement of the Group was confirmed as:

• To raise awareness of vascular and venous disease and to encourage actions to promote a greater priority for its prevention and treatment; to encourage research into the causes of vascular and venous disease; to advance excellence and innovation in vascular and venous disease and related cardiovascular conditions.

Please find attached the minutes of the meeting.

VVAPPG hosts a drop-in event for MPs

On Tuesday 19th March, 3:00pm-5pm in the Attlee Suite, the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Vascular and Venous Disease (VVAPPG) held a drop-in session to raise awareness and advocate for prevention and better treatment in this area.

The APPG launched a report titled ‘Tacking Venous thromboembolism’ with over 20 parliamentarians in attendance.

VVAPPG Launches Report at RSM Venous Forum - Friday 9th June

Future of Venous Disease: Growing Problems, Shrinking Workforce

Please find a copy of the report here.

Venous leg ulcers (VLU) are persistent wounds of the leg, caused by an underlying circulatory issue in the veins. Unlike most wounds, venous leg ulcers can be hard to heal and can be extremely painful. People with venous leg ulcers require NHS support to promote healing.

Approximately, over 500,000 people live with a form of venous leg ulceration in the UK, a number that has doubled in the past 10 years, with estimated healthcare costs associated with these wounds reaching £2.7 billion annually.

VLUs cause severe patient distress and are prone to becoming infected if not managed well. In extreme cases, the wound can become so large that bone and tendon are exposed. Failure to address the underlying venous disease causing the ulcer can lead to wound recurrence.

Despite the scale of the problem being well known, and guidance being in place to ensure prompt treatment for VLUs, patients still face challenges in receiving treatment. This is in part due to a shrinking workforce and inconsistent commissioning of services.

This report has highlighted the challenges in treating the number of patients with VLUs, and sets out recommendations for Government, NHS England, and local commissioners to ensure that patients receive appropriate care at the right time, in the right place.

In delivering these changes, the NHS could save significant amounts of money and patients would benefit from earlier interventions and better outcomes.

Recommendations

For Government

1.     Develop a vascular workforce plan in the upcoming Workforce Strategy for Health and Care, with a funded implementation plan.

2.     Ensure national adoption and implementation of the recommendations of the National Wound Care Strategy Programme.

3.     Increase the number of training places for vascular surgeons to 30-40 from current levels.

For the NHS

4.     NHS Workforce, Training and Education (formerly Health Education England (HEE)) to deliver venous disease education programmes across primary, community, and secondary care in England, including utilising existing education resources such as eLearning for Health and National Wound Care Strategy Programme for pre-registration programmes, and within the existing qualified workforce.

5.     Increase the training available to non-medics to support in the diagnosis and treatment of venous patients, including vascular nurses and vascular technicians.

For Local Commissioners

6.     Ensure commissioning policies are aligned to NWCSP Lower Limb Recommendations, which incorporate NICE guideline CG168 and the SIGN Clinical Guideline.

7.     Ensure local NHS Providers prioritise staff and resources to assessing and treating venous disease.

OP-ED FROM APPG CHAIR EMMA HARDY MP

Published in November 2021, this op-ed is penned by Emma Hardy MP, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Vascular and Venous Disease. In the piece, Emma talks about the experiences that led her to join the APPG as chair, and the excellent work being undertaken near her constituency of Hull West and Hessle to improve care and outcomes for patients. The op-ed can be found here.