MPs, Peers, Patients, Clinicians, and Charities come together to support the ACSMA campaign
“If more patients are able to choose to selfmonitor, it would improve the quality of their care and create savings for the NHS”
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1,2
MP and member of the Health Select Committee 4
4
£
*5
£
£
*This figure takes into account all secondary care costs, primary care costs and costs of the CoaguChek XS device and test strips.
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1. Gardiner et.al. Patient self-testing is a reliable and acceptable alternative to laboratory monitoring. Br J Haem 2004; 128:242-47 2. Office for National Statistics 2008. Accessed 16 June 2011 3. Data on file Atrial Fibrillation Association, Anticoagulation Europe 2011 4. Heneghan C et al. Self-monitoring of oral anticoagulation: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet 2006;367(9508):404-11 5. Connock M, Stevens C, Fry-Smith A, Jowett S, Fitzmaurice D, Moore D, et al. Clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of different models of managing long-term oral anticoagulation therapy: a systematic review and economic modelling [online]. Health Technol.Assess. 2007 ix-66; Oct;11(38):iii-iv, ix-66 6. Data on file Atrial Fibrillation Association, Anticoagulation Europe 2011
The AntiCoagulation Self-Monitoring Alliance (ACSMA) held a Parliamentary Reception on Wednesday 6th February, hosted by Health Select Committee member,Virendra Sharma MP to call on Government to make self monitoring technology available on NHS prescription for patients on longterm warfarin. The speakers at the event included Shadow Minister of State for Health, Andrew Gwynne MP, Department of Health lead on the 3millionlives project and Deputy Director of Long-Term Conditions, Stephen Johnson and self-monitoring warfarin users, Katherine Perkins and Robert Cleaton, who is also the creator of the selfmonitoring smartphone app, OAT book. Guests at the reception included MPs, Peers, clinicians, patients and charities. All of the speakers voiced their support for patients having full understanding and control of their condition.
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Andrew Gwynne MP said “The NHS should be looking at the merits of the technology based on the patients’ need not ability to pay as this was the founding principal of the NHS.” Virendra Sharma said In his opening remarks that many patients who take the anticoagulant warfarin were not benefitting from self-monitoring through either a lack of awareness or issues around access. He stated that “There are more than 1.2 million people in the UK on warfarin3,4 but fewer than two per cent of them benefit from self-monitoring.”5 Current estimates show that oral anticoagulation therapy (OAT) management of stable patients costs the NHS around £409 million.6,7 Studies also show that if only one in four patients took up self-monitoring,2 this would save the NHS approximately £62 million per year.* Self-monitoring is convenient for those on long-term warfarin, reducing clinic visits and freeing up precious time. It is also associated with more accurate warfarin dosing and can bring about a significant reduction in adverse events and death. Furthermore,
self-monitoring has been shown to reduce the risk of stroke by over 50 per cent and reduce mortality rates by nearly two fifths.1 Through self-monitoring, results can be produced in less than a minute and readings can then be shared with the healthcare professional, and if needed, adjustments to warfarin dosage made. Virendra Sharma also commented on the fact that there was a growing body of evidence9 that patient self-monitoring improves the quality of warfarin therapy, and patients who self-manage have fewer thromboembolic events and lower mortality rates. Virendra Sharma went on to say: “If more patients are able to choose to self-monitor, it would improve the quality of their care and create savings for the NHS. We need to see more opportunities for people to discuss the option of self-monitoring with their GP. So today we are encouraging patients and their families to write to their local MPs asking for self-monitoring technology to be made available on NHS prescription and to register their support for the ACSMA campaign at www.acsma.org.uk.” *This figure takes into account all secondary care costs, primary care costs and costs of the CoaguChek XS device and test strips.
HOW CAN YOU GET INVOLVED? If you want to pledge your support for our campaign, would like to tell us your story about living on long term warfarin and the benefits of self-monitoring, or would just like to keep up to date with what we are doing please visit www.acsma.org.uk and sign up, or email: info@acsma.org.uk ACSMA comprises four of the UK’s leading charities and patient groups – AntiCoagulation Europe (ACE); the Children’s Heart Federation; AF Association; the Mechanical Heart Valve Support Group. Healthcare company Roche is also part of the alliance. References: 1. Heneghan C et al. Self-monitoring of oral anticoagulation: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet 2006;367(9508):404-11. 2. Connock M, Stevens C, Fry-Smith A, Jowett S, Fitzmaurice D, Moore D, et al. Clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of different models of managing long-term oral anticoagulation therapy: a systematic review and economic modelling [online]. Health Technol.Assess. 2007 ix-66; Oct;11(38):iii-iv, ix-66. 3. Gardiner et.al. Patient self-testing is a reliable and acceptable alternative to laboratory monitoring. Br J Haem 2004; 128:242-47. 4. Office for National Statistics 2008. Accessed 16 June 2011 5. Data on file. 6. Fitzmaurice DA et al. Self-Management of Oral Anticoagulation Therapy (SMART Trial). BMJ 2005; 331: 1057. 7. Atrial Fibrillation. Clinical Guideline No. 36. Costing Report NICE 2006. 8. Data on file Atrial Fibrillation Association, Anticoagulation Europe 2011. 9. Self-monitoring and self-management of oral anticoagulation (Review) – The Cochrane Collaboration, the Atrial Fibrillation Association (AF Association); the Mechanical Heart Valve Support Group. Healthcare company Roche is also part of the alliance.
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