We have joined in a national NHS campaign to improve care for patients with mild anaemia having hip and knee replacement surgery. 

Patients with mild anaemia are at higher risk of needing a blood transfusion following joint replacement surgery and of other complications too such as a stroke. 13% of all patients with joint replacement will have anaemia as a complicating factor, with around 100 patients in Stockport a year.

Evidence shows interventions including screening and treating patients with iron before their surgery can bring many benefits; including reduced blood transfusions, fewer critical care admissions, and shorter stays in hospital and fewer re-admissions.  This means better and safer care for patients. There are financial benefits too, saving around £160 per patient. It costs less than £2000 to avoid an infected joint replacement, which would cost many tens of thousands to treat.

The trust has joined 30 other NHS organisations in the Quality Improvement in Surgical Teams (QIST) anaemia collaborative, which is driving forward improvements for patients by increasing and developing these interventions across the NHS. 

Professor David Johnson, Consultant Orthopaedic Knee Surgeon at the Stockport NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Stepping Hill Hospital said  “We are delighted to be part of this unique programme which will help us to improve care for our patients and support further adoption of these interventions across the NHS so many more patients can benefit in the future.

“We are always looking at ways in which we can make care better. If we can prevent just one of our patients from suffering the consequences of complications from their anaemia – such as stroke or the need for a blood transfusion –which can devastating for patients and their loved ones – then that will be fantastic.”

Clinical director for trauma and orthopaedics at Northumbria Healthcare and chief investigator for the QIST anaemia collaborative, Professor Mike Reed, said: “The overall ambition of this collaborative is to prove the case we can successfully introduce these interventions and improve care for patients having joint replacement surgery so that they become routine clinical practice across the NHS.

“We are delighted so many organisations have agreed to take part and by joining forces and sharing best practice we can make a real difference to patients across the NHS.”

You can find out more about QIST a www.QIST.org.uk or follow them on twitter at @QISTanaemia