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A report revealed that the number of people in the county dying early from cardiovascular disease like a stroke or heart failure was below the national average in 2011/12. It also showed:

• Oxfordshire had fewer number of emergency hospital admissions for patients with stroke and heart disease compared to the national rate;
• more stroke patients in Oxfordshire aged under 75 were discharged directly home after hospital treatment compared to the national average;
• the average wait time for a patient to get treatment in Oxfordshire following a heart attack was better than the England figure.

Dr Richard Green, Director of Clinical Quality at Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group (OCCG), said:

‘The report reflects the hard work carried out in the NHS to improve services in Oxfordshire for people with cardiovascular conditions like heart disease or a stroke – helping them to live longer. Our priority is to build-on this good work and reduce further the risk of early death from cardiovascular illness in Oxfordshire.’

Some of the measures the OCCG has supported to help cardiovascular patients include:

• allowing GPs to carry out blood protein and cardio-echo tests to reveal heart failure rather than having patients travel to acute hospitals;

• getting patients with heart failure into rapid access chest clinics for appropriate assessment and treatment which means their survival rates are improved;

• allowing patients to recover from heart failure closer to their homes by locating rehabilitation services provided by Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust in local areas saving them travelling to and from hospital;

• using a heart failure specialist nurse provided by Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust to support patients across the county;

• launching rapid access TIAs (mini-strokes) clinics open seven days a week – one is located at the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, which takes referrals from GPs and the emergency department.

Dr Richard Green, added: ‘The OCCG will encourage more innovative ways of commissioning health care in Oxfordshire which will help tackle conditions like cardiovascular disease. However, stopping smoking, eating healthier food and exercising more often also reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke.’

Dr Chris Newrith, Programme Director for the Bucks Complex Needs service discusses personality disorders.

Join us for our second Health Matters Bucks in association with Buckinghamshire Mind where Dr Newrith, Consultant Psychiatrist in Psychotherapy and Programme Director for Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust’s Complex Needs Service Buckinghamshire, will outline the work of the Complex Needs Service, in particular the democratic therapeutic community treatment model of peer support and user empowerment which lies at the heart of the service. He will also give a brief outline of some of the different ways in which the problems of Complex Needs service users can be understood.

Dr Newrith has an extensive background in the psychiatric treatment of personality disorders having worked in a number of organisations including the personality disorder unit at Broadmoor Special Hospital, where he developed a special interest in forensic psychotherapy, and through his work with the Birmingham Personality Disorder Outreach Service.

Thursday 16 May 2013

10.00am – 12.00pm

Aylesbury Methodist Church

Buckingham Street

Aylesbury

Bucks

HP20 2NQ

To book your free place please contact Carole on 07525 644081 or email *protected email*.