Support for heart failure patients in the community for a 12-month pilot

25 FEBRUARY 2026

York & Scarborough Hospitals Charity is proud to have funded a 12-month heart failure admission avoidance pilot, supporting the appointment of two dedicated Heart Failure Specialist Nurses to improve care for cardiology patients in the Emergency Department and Acute Assessment areas.

This innovative pilot brings hospital-level heart failure care to be given in the outpatient clinic setting, allowing people to receive timely treatment while remaining in familiar surroundings. Working alongside the project team, the specialist nurse plays a key role in supporting patients from diagnosis in the Emergency Department and assessment areas, while also educating families and carers to help them better understand and manage the condition.

The nurse-led service provides vital support for patients with new diagnoses, offers a specialist advice line and delivers rapid assessment when patients need urgent step-down review in the Rapid Access Community Clinic. As part of the heart failure admission avoidance assessment, patients are reviewed by the specialist nurse and can receive a same-day echocardiogram, IV diuretics (where required), follow-up rapid access clinic bookings and a monitoring service for those who are prescribed intravenous diuretics to be given daily.

For patients admitted to hospital, the team assesses whether they can be safely treated through the outpatient service, enabling earlier discharge and reducing the length of hospital stays. Once discharged, patients can receive an urgent telephone review if not requiring Rapid Access Clinic follow up. The team visits the Emergency Department and Acute Assessment areas every morning. There they identify patients who may be suitable for admission avoidance or step-down care, ensuring patients receive the right care at the right time.

Vicky Watson, Heart Failure Specialist Nurse, explained, “As far as I am aware, this pilot has not been carried out anywhere else in the UK. Case studies so far are incredibly positive in the early days of the pilot.”

She continued, “We aim to educate patients and their families seen in the assessment areas to help prevent hospital admissions and keep patients safely at home. We use a ‘heart failure lights’ system to help patients monitor key indicators and understand when to seek urgent help, including when to call 999. By providing this support in the community, we are already seeing a reduction in hospital stays and more patients having their condition managed at home.”

Vicky added, “Thank you to the donors of York & Scarborough Hospitals Charity for making this possible.”

This pilot demonstrates how charitable funding can drive innovation in healthcare delivery, improve patient experience and outcomes, and support people living with heart failure to receive high-quality care closer to home.

Both heart failure specialist nurses Vicky Watson and Rebecca Quinn are managing the pilot.