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Aortic Dissection Awareness Day UK 2021 – In Pictures Christina Bannister
T
he 6th annual Aortic Dissection Awareness Day UK on 16th September 2021 was hosted by the Bristol Aortic Service, with SCTS member Mr Cha Rajakaruna speaking on behalf of the Society. The theme of the day was ‘Responding to the national challenge of acute Aortic Dissection’. Mr Rajakaruna spoke about how SCTS has responded to and is engaged with the national patient association, AD Awareness UK & Ireland. He shared the latest data showing a strong upward trend in surgical procedures for acute Type A dissection nationally and explained that the Society attributes this to increased awareness from initiatives such as the patient association’s successful THINK AORTA campaign, in which SCTS is a founding partner, together with the Royal College of Emergency Medicine and Heart Research UK. The Chair of AD Awareness UK & Ireland, Mr Gareth Owens, thanked SCTS for being a good friend to the national patient association and for seeking, through its
“Hands-up if you’ve survived an Aortic Dissection”- patients and relatives gathered in Bristol wanting improved diagnosis, care and outcomes in Aortic Dissection
membership and through the specialist subgroup of the UK Aortic Society, to improve care and outcomes for Aortic Dissection patients like him. He also thanked Terumo Aortic for sponsoring the event. The keynote speech was delivered by Dr Stephen Drage, Director of Investigations at the Healthcare Safety
Increased awareness through campaigns like THINK AORTA is driving a strong upward trend in surgical procedures for Type A Aortic Dissection
Investigation Branch, who spoke about HSIB’s investigation, report and recommendations regarding the national problem of delayed recognition of Aortic Dissection, published in January 2020. The Presidents of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine and the Royal College of Radiologists explained how their respective colleges have worked together in an unprecedented initiative to produce joint guidance on acute Aortic Dissection which they will publish shortly for the guidance of their members. Mr Owens welcomed this great teamwork, noting that multidisciplinary teamwork is what these patients need and reminding clinicians present that “my aorta doesn’t care about your professional boundaries”. Prof. Rob Sayers, Chair of the NHS England Vascular Clinical Reference Group, spoke about the new NHS England ‘Toolkit’ for acute Aortic Dissection that will apparently replace the long-promised national service specification, which is now not planned to be published. His fellow vascular surgeon, Miss Rachel Bell, President-Elect of the Vascular Society, gave an impassioned
