Funding was obtained from AstraZeneca to pilot the establishment of a cardiometabolic pharmacy service within the Western Health and Social Care Trust. A cardiometabolic pharmacist conducted outpatient reviews for those at risk of cardiometabolic diseases. These reviews aimed to increase adherence to medicines that prevent and delay disease progression. A total of 247 patients were reviewed by the cardiometabolic pharmacist. After initial screening, 98 of these patients were invited for a medication review in a clinic setting by the cardiometabolic pharmacist. Following medication review 32 were commenced on a sodium glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitor (SGLT2i). This project provided an exciting opportunity for service development and proved to be a success in developing the role of the pharmacist within cardiometabolic disease. It is anticipated that the results from this project will be utilised to further develop the case for a cardiometabolic pharmacist within each of the HSC Trusts in NI.
In the Southern Health and Social Care Trust, funding was obtained from AstraZeneca to undertake work with the cardiology team and primary care colleagues to establish, deliver and evaluate virtual heart failure clinics. The virtual heart failure clinics commenced on April 2022. An interim analysis was carried out at 6 months (November 2022) and summarised the number and type of sessions delivered, the number of attendees and case numbers, the characteristics of referrals, clinical outcomes and qualitative reports on the outcomes from the HFVC including clinician knowledge and confidence. Full analysis is planned at 12 months as part of the evaluation.