AFA Patient Days
AFA Patient Days aim to bring together patients, carers and medical professionals to learn from each other and share experiences of living with Atrial Fibrillation.
2011 AFA Patient Day at the Heart Rhythm Congress (HRC)
A tremendous day was enjoyed by more than one hundred AFA members at this year’s HRC AFA Patient Day. An interactive exhibition enabling delegates to try out catheter tools, AEDs (Automated External Defibrillators) and learn more about existing and new support services and devices available, the day started with a breakfast workshop seeking opinions and ideas for new on-line information resources for Atrial Fibrillation (AF).
By mid-morning we were learning about how we can all be involved from volunteering and fund raising to sharing information and ensuring AF is a priority within NHS services.
Presentations then followed looking at the assessing the risk factors, the role of anti-arrhythmic drugs and anti-coagulants.
Dr Campbell Cowan, EP from Leeds General Infirmary:
Assessing other risks and symptoms: Anti arrhythmic drugs in the treatment pathway
In the approach to lunchtime, discussions on the place and role of catheter ablation for AF, pacemaker and AV node ablation and the emerging role of minimally invasive surgical ablation for AF.
Dr Glyn Thomas, Consultant Cardiologist and EP from Bristol Heart Institute:
When is catheter ablation an option?
Dr Jonathan Hyde, Consultant Cardiologist from Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton:
What is minimally invasive surgical ablation and who might be suitable for this?
Dr Jonathan Pitts-Crick, Consultant Cardiologist from Bristol Heart Institute:
Pace and ablate: the risks and the benefits
The day raced on, with such a full agenda and questions from the floor. The afternoon looked to Living with AF with tips and guidance as well as news of developing AF services within local regions. Further information on local services is available on the AFA website ‘Local services’ page and also in a new publication ‘Healthcare Pioneers’.
Dr Matthew Fay, GP and AFA Medical Advisory Committee Member from Bradford:
I am healthy but I have AF, what lifestyle changes can I make to help?
Jean Maloney, Arrhythmia Nurse Specialist from Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust:
I feel so lonely, are there any support services which could help?
Finally, we looked at what is a successful care pathway and what does it take to develop and access such care? A key note speech from Dr Jonathan Howell, a Commissioner for the East Midlands Specialised Commissioning Group, lead the way here, with insight into what future specialised services within the NHS may look like.
Dr Jonathan Howell, Consultant in Public Health from West Midlands Specialised Commissioning Team:
Redress unwarranted inequalities in access - The Role of Commissioning
Dr Diane Bruce, Consultant Cardiologist from Poole Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust:
What does a successful model of care look like?
Dr Chris Arden, GP from Southampton:
AF in Primary Care
With presenters happy to stay and talk with delegates long after the close, AFA would like to thank all members of Faculty for their time and support in making this day possible.
If you would like details of the next AFA Patient Day on 21st November at Europe AF, London, please email sarah@afa.org.uk. Or to register for further information on AFA Patient day at HRC 2012, to be held in Birmingham at the ICC centre, please email sarah@afa.org.uk.
2010 AFA Patient Day at the Heart Rhythm Congress
Members arrived from across the UK to attend the annual AFA Patient Day held in Birmingham during the Heart Rhythm Congress.
The packed day was enjoyed by over one hundred AFA members and offered access to the exhibition, where AED Locator, AllClear Insurance, Arrhythmia Alliance, Medtronic, Omron, Roche, St Jude, and STARS all had stands offering information, hands on experience of devices and monitors and access to key representatives who were very happy to talk about the technology and new options on show.
The day also provided presentations ranging from being under 60 with AF, exercise and AF, living alongside AF and the importance of ‘know Your Pulse’ and greater understanding and insight into current and new treatment options, why do we develop AF? And how can we judge and interpret trial results. Completing on the role of therapy and hypnotherapy in supporting the person ‘behind the condition’ and then the popular ‘Any Questions’, the day was complete.
Feed-back from those who attended has been extremely positive, and we look forward to building on your suggestions for further topics in the 2011 plans!
AFA would like to thank all members of Faculty who so kindly gave their time to attend and support the meeting and to the companies who helped make the exhibition such a success.
Exercise and AF, is there any evidence and what does it suggest?
Presented by Dr Andreas Wolff, GPwSI, Darlington
AFA Patient Day at The Heart Rhythm Congress 2009
This year’s AFA Patient Day was held on Sunday 18th October at the Birmingham Hilton Metropole Hotel. More than one hundred members attended to listen to a wide range of presentations and browse the first dedicated Patient Exhibition at HRC. This year, both Arrhythmia Alliance (A-A) – www.heartrhythmcharity and the Syncope Trust And Reflex anoxic Seizures (STARS) – www.stars.org.uk held Patient Day meetings at the same event, so once registered, delegates could select from more than twenty presentations during the day!
To register an interest to attend future AFA Patient Day events, please email jo@atrialfibrillation.org.uk.
Many AF presentations from the day have kindly been permitted to be included on the AFA website by the individual presenters. Please click on the following links to read notes and view slides of the day.
1) The Patient Day Agenda – Sunday October 18th 2009 at the Heart Rhythm Congress
2) A Patient’s Journey – Mr Bob Dove, AF patient
3) Seeking an Understanding – Mr Martin Harman, AF patient
4) Causes and Triggers of Atrial Fibrillation – Dr Andrew Grace
5) Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for AF – Dr Graeme Gillespie
6) Catheter Ablation for AF, is it a cure? – Dr Mark Earley
7) Excercise and AF - Professor Patrick J Doherty
AFA Patient Day - Europe AF 2008
Living with AF - by G J O'Sullivan
AFA Patient Day at Heart Rhythm Congress 2008
Finding The Right Doctor, A Patient’s Experience - by Peter
Dr Campbell Cowan
Dr Glyn Thomas
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Dr Jonathan Hyde
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Dr Jonathan Pitts-Crick
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Dr Matthew Fay
Jean Maloney, Arrhythmia Nurse Specialist
Dr Jonathan Howell
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Dr Diane Bruce
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Dr Chris Arden
