New patient focus on heart failure

With heart failure prevalence set to increase in Ireland in the coming years,¹ an initiative led by the Heart and Stroke Charity Croí in partnership with the national heart failure charity the Heartbeat Trust aims to raise awareness of the needs of heart failure patients in Ireland. 

Launch

A first-of-its-kind, the Nationwide Heart Failure Patient Alliance (HFPA) was officially launched recently in Galway with public meetings attended by almost 300 heart failure patients, their carers and clinicians.

The HFPA is the first initiative to support the day-to-day management of heart failure for patients. It aims to enable discussion and representation of patient needs in the development of healthcare policy, building a patient forum to address the dearth of heart failure resources nationwide. 

Heart failure is one of the most prevalent chronic illnesses in the western world, and is the most common chronic condition. As a consequence of an ageing population, the incidence of the condition is set to increase dramatically, leading to an increase in hospitalisations from heart failure of more than 50% over the next 25 years.¹

Goals

The HFPA’s main goals are to facilitate discussion of patient needs in order to help manage their day-to-day living; to provide education to patients and their carers; to represent patient needs in the development of healthcare policy and heart failure initiatives throughout Ireland; to interact with international heart failure patient forums on areas of mutual interest and importance, and to encourage development of local self-care groups to help patients and carers to manage more day-to-day issues in their illness.

Speakers at the launches included heart failure specialists Dr Pat Nash, cardiologist, Galway University Hospital and Prof Ken McDonald, cardiologist, national clinical lead for heart failure and medical director of the Heartbeat Trust, who both also launched a comprehensive education pack for patients and their carers which includes an online toolbox and supporting printed resource materials.

Speaking at the launch, Prof McDonald, said: “heart failure is a chronic illness affecting more than 90,000 people in Ireland. Research shows that prevalence will increase, which is why it is important now more than ever that we plan for the future to improve care for heart failure patients and their carers. It is fundamentally important to include people living with heart failure and their carers in this process. As one of the most prevalent chronic illnesses in the western world, it is astounding that management of the disease is so lacking when it comes to provision of a platform to enable discussion from the patient’s perspective. 

“The HFPA will respond to the patient’s needs, and will both drive and support patient involvement at an individual level and at a group level. The Heartbeat Trust and Croí intend that the HFPA resolves the often poor management of this condition and improves resources for heart failure patients in communities throughout the country.”

Frank Fahy, Mayor of Galway City, praised the collaboration between Croí and the Heartbeat Trust, working together for the benefit of the Irish people in the fight against heart failure: “They are working to inform and educate people on how best to live with heart failure. To date, this has been treated on an individual patient basis, but it is important to include the patient and the carer in this process and to develop a patient voice which is a key aim of the alliance.”

For more information please visit
www.croi.ie/or heartbeat-trust.ie

Reference

1. The Cost of Heart Failure in Ireland, Social, Economic and Health Implications. http://heartbeat-trust.ie/cost-of-heart-failure-report-launched/