Image source: Suvera
The NHS North East London (NHS NEL) integrated care board is planning to use a virtual care platform in a six-month hypertension outreach and patient management programme with local GPs.
It is working with platform provider Suvera to identify high risk patients with a suspected and known diagnosis of hypertension for early intervention across practices to improve cardiovascular health outcomes and reduce health inequalities.
The programme will run until the end of the year, with Suvera providing services to address locally identified needs.
Patients will be able to use its technology to access a care team led by a pharmacist regulated by the Care Quality Commission, which will guide them towards normal blood pressure with GP oversight.
The project will aim to help reduce pressure on local GP practices by enabling early intervention with at-risk, hard to reach individuals and facilitate improvements in managing high risk conditions like hypertension.
Key priority
Kerrie Soares, senior transformation manager at NHS NEL ICB, said: “With hypertension being highlighted as a key priority within the NHS Long Term Plan, it is important for system partners to work together to improve residents’ access to primary care and preventive services, enabling them to live healthier for longer and reducing the risk of hospitalisation or death from a cardiac event.
“The utilisation of digital and virtual tools and platforms is just one approach to achieving better outcomes for residents with hypertension.”
The project will cover the London boroughs of Tower Hamlets, Newham, and Waltham Forest.
