Excellence in National or Local Education Meetings/Stand-Alone Events

Summary of work

Improving UK performance for atrial fibrillation (AF) and stroke prevention represents a significant opportunity to reduce healthcare costs and save lives, aligned with the NHS Long Term Plan.

Masterclass is a future-focused educational programme, designed to inspire HCPs to take action to improve services in their locality and drive enhanced performance in three key areas aligned with NHS priorities: detect (screen more individuals for AF); protect (ensure diagnosed patients are offered anticoagulation); and perfect (deliver best clinical practice in anticoagulation care).

The programme was funded by the Bristol-Myers Squibb / Pfizer Alliance and was delivered in partnership with Lucid Group.

Content was guided by a multidisciplinary, UK-wide, expert faculty, and developed from a deep understanding of the practical challenges and barriers HCPs face with looking to make an improvement in anticoagulation care in each of these areas. Recognising a need to go beyond traditional education on clinical evidence, the programme delivered practical tools, resources and training. This included workshops on achievable steps to change and practical demonstrations, eg screening device displays.

As a result of Masterclass, delegates report changing the way they approach AF, now citing, for example, “identifying patients [with AF] who would otherwise have slipped through the net”.

Judges' comments

This was a strong and robust programme, backed by very active follow-up and continued education.  This resulted in a practice-changing experience for attendees in addition to a successful cascade of education to a broader range of HCPs.