Enfield's Healthy Hearts

Enfield’s Healthy Hearts team – Neighbourhood Health in action

Across north central London, people are living longer, often with long-term conditions - including heart failure. In Enfield, clinicians from different organisations are working together to achieve better health outcomes for local heart patients.

“Well, I’ve learned that it can be improved. I thought this was the end of the line! And at least, well – I’ll get better.” Doreen, Healthy hearts service user

Neighbourhood Health is about organisations working together as partners, to meet the health and care needs of residents. It’s about bringing together the right support, from separate teams, close to home, when people need it most.

Enfield’s Healthy Hearts service is a good example of this cross-system working. It connects Heart Failure nurses from Royal Free London NHS Trust, a consultant cardiologist from North Middlesex Hospital, clinical pharmacists, Enfield GPs, and Age UK Enfield coordinators, meeting regularly as one multidisciplinary team (MDT).

“We've had a high rate of readmissions with heart failure to North Middlesex hospital. We are examining… and discussing them with Dr Rear, our heart failure lead” Caroline Wick, Service Lead and Lead Heart Failure Nurse, North Middlesex University Hospital

The project is supported by NHS North Central London Integrated Care Board and the adult social care team at London Borough of Enfield, who are working together on the Enfield Neighbourhoods Partnership Sub-board to develop this service further as well as services for frailty, diabetes and other long-term conditions. And plan closer working with local the voluntary and community partners.

The team, also called the Health Inequalities Heart Failure Project, meets regularly to review cases of residents with heart failure, including their patient history, investigations, test results and medications, to make sure their treatment plans meet the highest standards.

They look at any support patients need, like home visits from specialist nurses and education events, to share advice on symptoms management and staying well with a heart condition.

“So, Amanda (Heart Failure Nurse) helped me a lot. And even when she comes to my house, she's very good to me and the wife.”   Charles, Healthy hearts service user

Enfield’s Healthy Hearts – Neighbourhood Health in action (short) (02:34)