Resources for Healthcare Professionals
To support the optimisation of lipid management, as part of our broader work to reduce the prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD), we have created a number of educational resources for healthcare professionals working in primary care which can be downloaded below.
We regularly host events and we’re always happy to provide additional education for healthcare professionals. If you work in the North East and North Cumbria and would like to find out more about the training we offer please contact:
- Lipid optimisation enquiries – Nikki Holdsworth
- Blood pressure optimisation – Tracy Marshall
- Chronic kidney disease – Karen Verrill
- Familial hypercholesterolaemia – Kate Mackay
View our latest and past events, and subscribe to our newsletter here.
Know your numbers – patient flyer
Healthcare professionals can share the flyer with people at risk of high blood pressure, to raise awareness of an ideal blood pressure reading, and how patients can control their BP to lower risks of heart attacks and strokes.
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.
Identification and Management of CKD in Primary Care: Medscape UK Guidelines
Healthcare professionals in the North East and North Cumbria 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. The sessions were led by expert clinicians in NENC, who have shared best practice and case studies.
The webinar series has been developed to support primary care to identify people with CKD earlier and share the resources available to optimise the treatment and management of patients.
CDRC resources for CKD
- Using the searches provided by Clinical Digital Resource Collaborative (CDRC), it is possible to identify cohorts referenced above to support GP practices in managing their CKD populations.
- CDRC digital resources are designed and developed in the North East and North Cumbria by local clinicians. Their work is supported by NHS England, North of England Care System Support (NECS) and HI NENC.
- All CDRC resources are available at no cost to Primary Care users and available in SystmOne and EMIS. Click the links below for more information.
Hear from Dr Tom Zamoyski in the below video, who demonstrates how the CKD SystmOne resources can be used.
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.
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. Please contact [email protected] for further information.
Lipid optimisation how to guide
This lipid optimisation ‘how to’ guide has been created to support pharmacy technicians and other healthcare professionals working within a GP practice. 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.
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. The competencies have been developed based on the Summary of National Guidance for Lipid Management for Primary and Secondary Prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Competencies have been mapped to roles within general practice.
Download the competency framework
Other resources
Podcast – Cardiovascular Disease Prevention and Lipid Management – Inclisiran
A step by step guide to optimising Lipids for Secondary Prevention Vascular or Diabetes Foot Patients within a Pharmacist led clinic within Secondary Care – process map
The aim of this process map is to provide Clinical Pharmacists, along with other healthcare professionals, with the tools and resources to identify, risk stratify and review high-risk patients requiring lipid optimisation. Please contact Matthew Hart or Kate Mackay for further information.
Audit data template
The audit template has been developed as a tool to collect a baseline audit of patients requiring lipid lowering therapy, including details such as dose frequency and potential for optimisation.
Download the audit data template
Triaging and clinic data template
The triaging and clinic data template can be used once a clinic has been established, to triage patients and record clinic outcomes.
Download the triaging and outcomes database template
Other resources for clinical pharmacists
Inclisiran
Professor Ahmet Fuat – introducing inclisiran into the Lipid Management Pathway
In this video for GPs and healthcare professionals, GP, Professor Ahmet Fuat, describes using the novel therapy Inclisiran in the lipid management pathway for the first patients in the North East and North Cumbria.
Dr Stewart Pattman, Inclisiran – Optimising Lipid Management
In this video, Dr Stewart Pattman, Lipid Clinic Clinical Lead for Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, shares his knowledge of the novel therapy Inclisiran as an option for patients on the Lipid Management Pathway.
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.
Cardiovascular Disease Prevention and Lipid Management – Inclisiran
In this podcast, CVD Prevention Lead and Regional Coordinator, Nikki Holdsworth, talks to Barry Todd – a North East Pharmacist Practitioner and Wallsend Pharmacy Lead, and Matthew Hart – a Specialist Clinical Pharmacist with The Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals Trust, who are involved in lipid optimisation and management, and have experience of initiating and managing patients novel therapy Inclisiran.
Articles
Practice Nurse 2022 – A new lipid pathway: its relevance for primary care
The British Journal of cardiology – New opportunity for cholesterol lowering: inclisiran
The British Journal of cardiology – Inclisiran: its clinical position in lipid management
Novartis resources
Inclisiran learning & resources: HCP downloadable resources and HCP videos
Inclisiran: dosing and administration guide
PRESQuipp Webinar with Helen Williams (Consultant Pharmacist) – Lipid Lowering and the role of 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.
Educational resources regarding the secondary care administered PCSK9i drug:
- Virtual Medical Educators website
- Virtual Medical Educators Facebook page
- Accelerated Access Collaborative (AAC)
Lipid Lowering and Familial Hypercholesterolaemia (FH) Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)
This will help practices with the 24/25 QOF.
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.
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.
- Letter for primary prevention switch to high intensity statins (HIST)
- Letter for secondary prevention switch to HIST
- Letter for starting statins
- Letter for cholesterol to target
- Letter for ezetimibe
- Letter to stop fenofibrate
- Honorary contract with GP practice
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.
Cholesterol checks – NENC ICB
NENC ICB has developed a campaign toolkit to encourage adults who are aged 40 or over and have not had a cholesterol check before or in the past 5 years to get a check by contacting their GP surgery.
The toolkit includes a range of resources to raise awareness among patients about the importance of cholesterol checks.
Quick Dietary Guide for Managing Cholesterol – Heart UK
This practical guide has been designed to help health professionals to carry out a quick dietary assessment of your patient’s diet, and provide tailored dietary advice based on their responses. The accompanying patient take-home sheet allows patients to record their goals and track their progress.
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. Every GP in the NENC area received a hard copy.– 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 to view online – with working bookmarks and hyperlinks.– A web app (an app that runs on a website browser), which can accessed and downloaded to your PC or smart device home screen. The app is new for this edition and provides instant access to the resource and minimises the risk of infection control by reducing paper use. View or install the web app here.
Shared Decision Making
Shared decision making (SDM) is about an interaction between a patient and a healthcare professional based upon the clinician’s expertise and the patient’s preferences whereby the correct treatment choice is decided. It is a process involving examination of treatment options, risks and benefits, potential outcomes, patient values, patient goals, patient beliefs and patient preferences. Clinicians need skills to ensure this is a collaborative process and although decision aids and support tools form part of SDM, skills are the foundation of this interaction. Treatment for Atrial Fibrillation (AF) involves various options some of which will suit some patients more than others, and therefore SDM is particularly pertinent in this context. However, SDM skills can be applied to any consultation.
Videos on shared decision making
A series of films have been produced to assist with SDM, the series encompasses:
- Introduction to SDM
- Demonstration of the skills needed for good SDM by four different clinicians – 12 minutes
- Demonstration of four full consultations by a Pharmacist, GP, Specialist Nurse and Consultant Cardiologist – each 10-13 minutes
HI NENC produces a quarterly CVD bulletin which includes a round up of the support available to primary care including news, funding opportunities and events. Click the links below to view the newsletters and sign up.
Speaker presentations
Regional overview: Optimising Lipids & FH – Prof Julia Newton, Medical Director, HI NENC
Breakout sessions resources
Lipid pathway for pharmacy technicians
What is in lipid management for the practice? A non-clinical session with CDRC
Resources
Tackling Cholesterol Together education programme
HEART UK has partnered with the NHS Accelerated Access Collaborative (AAC) and Health Innovation Network to provide a comprehensive and varied education programme for healthcare professionals.
View the Tackling Cholesterol Together resources.
You can also find out about upcoming events on our events page and recordings of previous events on our Youtube channel, which also hosts a number of resources as mentioned above.
We’re always happy to provide additional education events. If you’re a healthcare professional in the North East and North Cumbria and would like us to present at your event or meeting please contact [email protected] or [email protected]
Education resources
Primary Care Cardiology Society (PCCS) website – CVD academy (FREE sign up available for any HCP)
British Journal of Cardiology: Lipids e-learning modules Sign up for free on website; 4 modules and an overview (5 CPD credits)
Patient resources
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.
Articles