CVD resources for healthcare professionals

HI NENC has developed a range of educational resources to support healthcare professionals with the prevention and management of cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Created in collaboration with leading CVD experts across the North East and North Cumbria, these resources provide practical guidance and evidence-based insights to enhance patient care. Download the resources below.

“The resources available are invaluable. As a pharmacy technician, I want to do my best to support patients in the decisions of their medication & ongoing health so having access to online information and talking through ideas with other technicians helps me achieve this”

Blood pressure optimisation

Know your numbers – patient flyer

Flyer for healthcare professionals to share with people at risk of high blood pressure, to raise awareness of an ideal blood pressure reading, and how patients can control their BP. Download the flyer.

Blog from Dr Raj Bethapudi about managing hypertension targets

To support PCNs to manage their hypertension targets, Dr Raj Bethapudi, GP and co-chair of the ICB CVD Prevention Network, has shared some tips in this blog.

UCLPartners Proactive Care Framework for hypertension

The Proactive Care Framework for hypertension helps primary care teams to improve blood pressure and broader CVD risk management, particularly lipids, in people with hypertension. It was developed by our partner AHSN, UCLPartners.

To support local teams in NENC to implement this resource, we have produced a ‘how to use your workforce differently’ resource. Download the resource here.

Chronic Kidney Disease

CKD process maps for hypertension and diabetes

To support healthcare professionals with long-term condition reviews, HI NENC has developed two CKD process maps outlining the key steps for identifying CKD during hypertension and diabetes reviews.

Download the Hypertension Process Map

Download the Diabetes Process Map

Identification and Management of CKD in Primary Care: Medscape UK Guidelines

Healthcare professionals in the region have developed guidelines for primary care. These ‘Primary Care Hacks’ aim to provide a quick reference guide to support earlier identification and treatment of CKD in the community.

Download the Identification of CKD in Primary Care Guide

Download the CKD Interventions in Primary Care Guide

Educational webinar series

HI NENC hosted a series of three webinars about chronic kidney disease (CKD) and the resources available to help you to improve outcomes for people in the region living with the condition. Watch the playlist.

CDRC resources for CKD

Clinicians can identify patient cohorts with CKD using the the searches provided by Clinical Digital Resource Collaborative (CDRC) The searches aim to GP practices in managing their CKD populations. All CDRC resources are available at no cost to primary care users and available in SystmOne and EMIS.

SystmOne resources

EMIS resources

CKD CDRC resources video demonstration from Dr Tom Zamoyski

Kidney Care UK website

The kidney patient support charity, Kidney Care UK provides practical, emotional and financial support to kidney patients and their families. Their website includes a wealth of information about chronic kidney disease and its treatments including dialysis and transplant.

The charity has produced useful patient information about SGLT2 inhibitors on their website, including a leaflet. View SLGT2 information here

Kidney Care UK’s #BloodyAmazingKidneys campaign

Kidney Care UK has launched a campaign aimed at those most at risk of developing chronic kidney disease (CKD). Through the #BloodyAmazingKidneys campaign, people are urged to complete an online risk tool. Those identified as being at higher risk of CKD are encouraged to download a letter for their GP and to make an appointment. Download campaign resources

Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH)

An animated, 2 minute video for patients explaining what is FH has been developed in collaboration with Heart UK, their ambassadors and the Northern Genetics Service.

Lipid Optimisation

Pharmacy Technician’s Role in Lipid & Familial Hypercholesterolaemia (FH) Optimisation – process map

The aim of this process map is to provide Pharmacy Technicians, along with other healthcare professionals, with the tools and resources to identify, risk stratify and review patients requiring lipid optimisation. Contact [email protected] for further information.

Download the process map

Lipid optimisation how to guide

The guide contains a number of tools and resources to help you to identify, risk stratify and review patients requiring lipid optimisation, including those with the genetic condition Familial Hypercholesterolemia.

Download the how to guide

Lipid management competency framework

This document lists the competencies for the National Lipids Programme Workforce Support Programme for healthcare professionals supporting patients with lipid optimisation.

Download the competency framework

Process map for optimising Lipids for Secondary Prevention Vascular or Diabetes Foot Patients within a Pharmacist led clinic within Secondary Care

The aim of this process map is to equip Clinical Pharmacists, along with other healthcare professionals, with the tools and resources to identify, risk stratify and review high-risk patients requiring lipid optimisation. An accompanying audit data template and triaging clinic data template have also been developed. Please contact Matthew Hart or Kate Mackay for further information.

Download the process map

Other resources

Utilising the role of the Pharmacy Technician to reduce primary care pressures – a blog from Tracy Marshall

A new focus of lipid-lowering therapy for secondary prevention vascular and diabetic foot patients in a pharmacist-led clinic – case study from Matthew Hart

Novel Therapies – Inclisiran and PCSK9i

Inclisiran

Inclisiran Video Series

The Inclisiran video series featuring Professor Ahmet Fuat and Dr Stewart Pattman detail the use of Inclisiran in the lipid management pathway.

Watch the video series

Inclisiran explained: an innovative new treatment for people at risk of cardiovascular disease

In this video for GPs and healthcare professionals, Dr Phil Jennings, Chief Officer of the Innovation Agency and AHSN Network Lead for the Rapid Uptake Products, explains to Caroline Kenyon how the treatment works.

Watch the video

Cardiovascular Disease Prevention and Lipid Management – Inclisiran

In this podcast, CVD Prevention Lead Nikki Holdsworth, talks to Barry Todd and Matthew Hart, who are involved in lipid optimisation and management, and have experience of initiating and managing patients on novel therapy Inclisiran.

PCSK9i

Dr Stewart Pattman and Catherine Tucker, PCSK9 inhibitors – Optimising Lipid Management

In this video, Dr Stewart Pattman, Lipid Clinic Clinical Lead, and Catherine Tucker, Senior Clinical Pharmacist at Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, share their knowledge of the PCSK9 inhibitor, as an option for patients on their Lipid Management Pathway.

Watch the video

Atrial Fibrillation (AF)

AF Card Deck

A resource aimed at primary care staff, providing a step by step guide for anticoagulation treatment in AF for the prevention of stoke and systemic embolism. An A4 black and white guide or full colour guide are available for you to download and print to be incorporated into any training manuals in your practice.

A digital version is available, as well as a web app (an app that runs on a website browser), which can accessed and downloaded to your PC or smart device home screen. View or install the web app here.

Supporting resources for 24/25 QOF – Lipid and FH

Lipid Lowering and Familial Hypercholesterolaemia (FH) Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)

This will help practices with the 24/25 QOF.

Download the SOP

Handbook for Lipid Optimising

The purpose of this document is to provide a reference for primary care to help support the implementation of lipid optimisation.

Download the handbook.

Northern England Evaluation and Lipid Intensification (NEELI) Guidelines

Guidelines include information across the whole of the lipid pathway including FH.

Template letters

Please click the below links to download the letters.

An introduction to lipid management in primary care – QOF tips in 7 minutes

In this video, Professor Ahmet Fuat, GPSI in Cardiology, explains how practices can treat patients in the secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease. Ahmet provides practical advice for GP practices about how to optimise lipid management support for patients.

Watch Prof Ahmet Fuat

Patient resources

Cholesterol animations and leaflets

Health Innovation Network and Heart UK have created a series of patient animations and leaflets to highlight the importance of managing cholesterol, and the steps that can be taken if cholesterol levels are high.

Please direct your patients who have high cholesterol, or who are at higher risk, to the resources below.

Leaflets on Heart UK website

Animations on Heart UK Youtube

Cardiovascular diet checklist from Heart UK

Use this diet checklist to help you and your patient assess the quality of their diet and identify which improvements could be made to help optimise cholesterol-lowering and heart health. It should take no longer than 5 minutes to complete.

Download checklist