Pulmonary hypertension care goes under the microscope
The UK’s specialist PH centres are undergoing a ‘peer review’ process to ensure they continue to provide world-class care. Neil Hamilton, Consultant Pharmacist at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield, explains.
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hen a patient is diagnosed with PH, it can have a massive impact on almost every aspect of their life. This impact also extends to family and friends who together will embark on the journey of living with the condition. Despite the best efforts of the PHA UK, pulmonary hypertension remains little-known yet is every bit as serious as conditions like multiple sclerosis, cystic fibrosis or cancer. As a result, you need to be reassured that whilst it may be statistically a rare disease, expert care is available to you 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year at one of the UK’s specialist centres. However, you may not be so reassured by me telling you that, because I work at one of those centres - so I would say that, wouldn’t I? Perhaps you would feel more encouraged, if your own experiences up to now weren’t enough, by hearing that these centres are currently
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undergoing a process of review. This process is aimed at improving standards further, and reinforcing the UK’s position in providing care that is the envy of the world.
About the centres Pulmonary hypertension is managed in the UK by a network of specialist centres. As many of you will already know, these are found in Newcastle, Sheffield, Papworth, and four in London - at the Brompton, Great Ormond Street, Hammersmith and Royal Free hospitals. Patients in Wales are referred to one of the centres in England for their care and there is also a centre in Belfast which is closely linked to some of the centres based in England. The Glasgow centre serves the whole of Scotland and despite being funded entirely separately, the team are very much part of both the UK Physicians and PH Professionals groups. Unfortunately, these centres are not
spread evenly across the country, but the reality of specialist care is such that centres cannot be opened overnight. The expertise and infrastructure takes years to grow. However, all the PHA UK research studies have found that patients are happy to travel for specialist care, provided the quality of care they receive is worth it. This network ensures the highest standards of care for our patients. The network not only allows for optimal clinical care but also makes collaboration in research and recruitment to clinical trials really achievable.
Assessing the service NHS England Specialised Services are the body within the NHS responsible for commissioning (paying for) the PH medicines prescribed to adults in England. They have taken the decision not only in PH, but in a number of
