University Hospitals of Liverpool Group (UHLG) has won a Health Service Journal (HSJ) Partnership Award in the Preventative Care category and was also Highly Commended in the Long-Term Conditions category, for its involvement in an innovative community-based heart and lung screening hub.
The BEAT Breathlessness Hub, launched in collaboration with Everton in the Community and UK’s heart failure charity, Pumping Marvellous, took home the Most Impactful Partnership in Preventative Healthcare award.
The hub is the first of its kind in England. Its facilities give local people access to early diagnosis and treatment for heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and other long-term conditions such as hypertension, atrial fibrillation.
Dr Rajiv Sankaranarayanan, Consultant Heart Failure Cardiologist at UHLG and Heart Failure Lead at Cheshire and Merseyside ICB, said: “As the Clinical Lead for the BEAT Breathlessness Community Hub, it is a huge honour to have received this national award.
“For a local project to receive such wide-reaching attention is testament to the passion and commitment of all involved.”
The hub has caught the attention of healthcare colleagues from abroad. Last year, the project team was invited to present its findings at an international conference in Washington, which have since been published in the prestigious Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Since its opening in May 2024, the Hub has welcomed more than 1,100 people. So far, its screenings have detected, raised blood pressure in more than 30% of attendees, irregular heartbeats in 3%, COPD in 12% and over 30 confirmed heart failure cases, which otherwise may have been missed and potentially fatal if left untreated.
Dr Sankaranarayanan added: “Having this community-based facility is allowing us to diagnose cardio-respiratory conditions earlier. Ease of access to specialised tests and the use of artificial intelligence is improving patient outcomes.
“We will continue to build upon the service and deliver the best care possible to the people of Liverpool.
“It is my hope that this project will have inspired colleagues from other parts of the UK to take their skills and services out into the community.”