Quality Improvement for critical Limb Ischaemia

09 April 2019

The 2018 Getting it Right First Time (GIRFT) Report for Vascular Surgery identified significant pathway delays and poor outcomes for patients presenting with critical limb ischaemia.

GIRFT recommended that, The Vascular Society of Great Britain and Ireland developed a lower limb Quality Improvement Framework (QIF) to improve rates of revascularisation and reduce amputation rates for these patients.

The Peripheral Arterial Disease QIF (PAD-QIF) has been launched by the Vascular Society this week, with the aim reducing the delays in assessment, investigation, and revascularisation in patients with critical limb ischaemia and in turn amputation rates.

Professor Ian Loftus, the President of the Vascular Society, said,  “ The Vascular Society is delighted to be launching the PAD-QIF this week at a time when there is increasing press scrutiny on amputation rates in the UK. The QIF contains some challenging targets, but will drive improvement in the delivery of care and outcomes for these patients and ultimately save legs.”

Mr Jon Boyle, Chairman of the Audit and Quality Improvement Committee of the Vascular Society added “ I am very grateful to the members of the VS Council, the Audit and QI Committee, the numerous stakeholders and the patients who have helped draw up this comprehensive framework. Delivering improvements based on the QIF standards is the next challenge and I am pleased that the QI Team at the RCS will be helping with the implementation.”

The PAD-QIF is available on the Vascular Society and VSQIP websites HERE

Back to News