“We are delighted that more GP Practices will now be able to provide this care to their patients. It will potentially remove the need for patients to attend hospital to have a venesection procedure performed,” according to Dr Conor Mitchell, GP and HSE GP Lead for the Sligo/South Donegal Community Healthcare Network, speaking as a bespoke education programme for GP Practices around the treatment of Hereditary Haemochromatosis (HH) was being introduced in the North West.

The first such programme to be made available nationally, Dr Mitchell noted how “the collaborative approach of Specialist Sligo University Hospital (SUH) Consultants, GPs, along with the North West and Sligo Leitrim Centre for Nursing and Midwifery Education (CNME) has made delivery of this programme possible,” adding that it was a “vital training programme for GPs and GP Practice Nurses.”

Ireland has the highest reported prevalence of Hereditary Haemochromatosis (HH) in the world, and the prevalence is highest in the West of Ireland.

HH is a disease resulting in excessive absorption of dietary iron from the intestine. Over time, excess iron accumulates in the cells of organs including the liver, pancreas, heart and pituitary causing damage. The disease is more common in people of Celtic or northern European descent. It is the most common genetic disease in Ireland with approximately 1 in 83 people predisposed to develop HH, and, in some areas, 1 in 5 people are carriers. Early diagnosis and treatment of the disease prevents organ damage and results in normal life expectancy. Treatment for the condition involves monitoring of iron stores using readily available blood tests. Based on the results, a venesection procedure may be required to remove blood, reducing the iron burden.

In the North West the majority of people living with HH are managed by either Haematologists or Gastroenterologists in Sligo University Hospital (SUH) and attend the Day Service for venesection. This procedure is low risk, with greater than 80% of the patients requiring minimal specialist input to manage their care. As a result, the procedure can be provided safely in Primary Care in the community.

In recent months a small project team was established to explore transitioning care for these low risk patients to Primary Care, to allow for the provision of care close to home in a GP Practice, eliminating the need for patients to travel.  This will also increase capacity in SUH for other day case procedures and therefore reduce waiting lists.  It was determined that a bespoke venesection education programme for GP Practices was required as no such project existed in Ireland.

The Centre for Nursing and Midwifery Education (CNME) Sligo, Leitrim, supported the development by Charlotte Hannon of a competency-based education and training programme. This in turn has been approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI). The project team and the CNME worked in partnership with the Irish Haemochromatosis Association which provided expert haematology nurses to support the programme and to conduct the nurse competency assessments. Community Infection Prevention and Control and the Primary Care Dietetics team were also involved. The programme was delivered in the Sligo CNME on March 5th.

Presenter on the programme Dr Andrew Hodgson,  Consultant Haematologist SUH, noted how he was “delighted to be involved in the delivery of this bespoke education programme for GP Practices which is the first such programme available in Ireland.  It is an excellent example of integrated and collaborative working to improve patient care and develop staff whilst also implementing the core element of Sláintecare- delivering the right care in the right place at the right time.”

Kathy Taaffe, Professional Development Coordinator for General Practice Nursing and presenter on the programme added that “General Practice is a busy workplace and when additional care is to be delivered, the GPs and General Practice Nurses must be supported and enabled to do so to the highest standard. We appreciate the support of the Sligo, Leitrim CNME, and the Irish Haemochromatosis Association for developing and successfully delivering this bespoke programme. We look forward to embedding this programme in education centres nationally to support continuing excellence in healthcare delivery.”