Remodelling of vascular (surgical) services in the UK

J. J. Earnshaw*, D. C. Mitchell, M. G. Wyatt, P. M. Lamont, A. R. Naylor

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

15 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The last few years have seen major changes in the delivery of vascular services in the UK. An increasingly elderly population with greater expectations from their medical services has challenged established methods. It also became apparent that outcomes for low volume, high risk index vascular interventions such as abdominal aortic aneurysm repair were poor in the UK compared to the rest of Europe. Other ongoing challenges were the introduction of a national aortic aneurysm screening programme and the development of vascular surgery as a separate speciality. This article details the approach taken to modernise vascular services in the UK, using a quality framework agreed by vascular specialists, which drove the structural change to move vascular interventions into fewer, higher volume centres. The introduction of modern networks is designed to maintain services in surrounding hospitals without on site vascular inpatient services. The initial effects of this service remodelling are positive, with elective aortic aneurysm mortality rates falling nationally from 7.5 to 2.4 per cent.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)465-467
Number of pages3
JournalEuropean Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery
Volume44
Issue number5
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Nov 2012
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Aortic aneurysm screening
  • Aortic aneurysms
  • Outcomes research
  • Service remodelling
  • Service research

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