Healthcare professionals unite to champion joined up care at inaugural CVRM Professional Care

Healthcare professionals from across the UK came together at the inaugural CVRM Professional Care to explore how greater collaboration between specialities could transform care for people living with multiple long-term conditions.

Held at Olympia London on October 20 and 21, the event brought together experts from cardiovascular, renal, diabetes and metabolic care to share knowledge and explore how more integrated healthcare services could improve patient outcomes.

The two-day conference focused on breaking down barriers between specialities, recognising that cardiovascular, renal and metabolic conditions are closely connected and often require coordinated treatment.

Through clinical sessions, expert discussions and networking opportunities, delegates explored ways to improve prevention, diagnosis and treatment while delivering more personalised, accessible care.

Chaired by Dr Kevin Fernando, the conference featured leading healthcare professionals highlighting the importance of earlier intervention, better communication and stronger links between primary, community and specialist care.

Helen Williams, National Clinical Director for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention at NHS England, emphasised the opportunities to identify and manage cardiovascular, renal and metabolic risks before patients develop more complex conditions.

Her sessions explored integrated primary care teams and the growing role of community pharmacy in delivering cardiovascular prevention services closer to home.

Dr Xenophon Kassianides, a GP with an Extended Role in CVRM Medicine, reinforced the importance of personalised care and shared decision making when managing patients with multiple long-term conditions.

Women’s health was also on the agenda, with Dr Carys Sonnenberg highlighting the increased cardiovascular and metabolic risks associated with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Renal care featured prominently, with nephrology specialists including Dr Katey Flowers, Dr Andrew Frankel and Professor Debasish Banerjee exploring chronic kidney disease and the importance of collaboration across care pathways.

Throughout the programme, delegates gained practical insights to take back into clinical practice, while also connecting with exhibitors and discovering new products and services.

Simon Exton, Consultant at University Hospitals of North Midlands, praised the breadth of the programme.

He said: “It’s been very good. There’s been a really big increase in the number and quality of the stalls, and the size of the conference compared to last year’s.

“Last year there was only one conference hall, now we’ve got three. And with that, a better choice of things that I can pick and choose which to go to.”

Asked whether he had taken away ideas to introduce into clinical practice, he replied: “Oh, loads. Yeah, loads and loads.”

Elizabeth Kalito, Specialist Nurse at West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospital, said enjoyed learning more about liver disease and hearing from exhibitors about the services they offer.

She said: “It was definitely worth attending. It was really interesting and I’ve learned many new things.”

Joan Kaija, Specialist Nurse at West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospital, said she found the networking opportunities beneficial, as she spoke to representatives from King’s College London about undertaking a Master of Science (MSc) in diabetes care.

By bringing different disciplines together under one roof, CVRM Professional Care created a platform for sharing expertise, building professional relationships and exploring more coordinated approaches to patient care.

Matt Hodgins, Event Director for CVRM Professional Care, said: “We’re delighted with the response to our inaugural event and the enthusiasm we’ve seen from healthcare professionals across so many different specialities.

“The whole idea behind CVRM Professional Care was to bring people together who might not ordinarily have the opportunity to share their knowledge and experiences, but who are often caring for the same patients.

“Cardiovascular, renal and metabolic conditions don’t exist in isolation, and neither should the way we manage them. Over the past two days, we’ve seen some fantastic discussions about how we can break down barriers, work more collaboratively and ultimately deliver better care for patients.

“It’s been brilliant to see so many people engaging with the programme, sharing ideas and making connections, and we’re excited to build on this success.”

Organised by CloserStill Media, CVRM Professional Care is the UK’s largest event focused on the holistic care and management of long-term conditions.

For more information, visit www.cvrmprofessionalcare.uk .

CVRM Professional Care is sponsored by the pharmaceutical and med tech industries via Grants, Sponsorship, and Exhibition packages. Pharmaceutical companies have solely provided sponsorship through the purchase of exhibition space and/or sponsored speaker sessions with no further input into the arrangements or agenda of the meeting. Sessions delivered with input from our sponsors will always be marked on the programme. A full list of confirmed sponsors for CVRM Professional Care is available here.