Medway School of Pharmacy has been named as a healthcare pioneer for its work on atrial fibrillation.
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a heart condition that causes an irregular and often abnormally fast heart rate.
The school, run jointly by the Universities of Greenwich and Kent, was announced as one of the AF Association Healthcare Pioneers Report 2019 winners for its project "Pharmacists Detecting Atrial Fibrillation (PDAF) in primary care during the influenza vaccination season".
The success was announced at the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Atrial Fibrillation meeting in the Palace of Westminster towards the end of last year.
Trudie Lobban MBE, Founder and CEO of AF Association congratulated the 2019 winners saying: "The AF Association Healthcare Pioneers Report 2019 demonstrates truly innovative best practice covering identification, diagnosis, management, treatment and care of patients with atrial fibrillation.
"Each year we share the Report with Commissioners and healthcare professionals across the NHS plus policy makers and MPs urging them to use these case studies as a benchmark to drive improvement in processes and patient pathways for the diagnosis, treatment, and care of AF patients.
"This years' entries were once again of a very high standard demonstrating the ongoing innovative work aimed at improving the lives of AF patients. I would like to thank everyone who entered, and especially commend those chosen as this year's AF Association Healthcare Pioneers Report 2019 winners."
The Report was released during the AF Association Global AF Aware Week which aims to raise awareness worldwide of atrial fibrillation. This year the focus is on promoting 'Know Your Pulse to Know Your Heart Rhythm.' Knowing your pulse can save your life, it is the easiest way to detect an arrhythmia (irregular heart rhythm). If your resting heart rate is irregular, too fast, or too slow, it is possible that you have an undiagnosed arrhythmia.
Dr Emma Veale from the University of Greenwich said: "We are thrilled to have been selected as healthcare pioneers for our work in AF. This reflects the fantastic collaborative effort between academics here at the Medway School of Pharmacy, GPs and pharmacists in primary care and cardiologists at the Medway Maritime Hospital."
The project has encompassed the NHS forward view to utilise different healthcare professionals, such as pharmacists to perform necessary healthcare checks that would otherwise be performed by a GP, combined with the use of novel digital healthcare technology, such as the Alivecor ® Kardia Mobile single-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) device.
