Anticoagulation service
Our anticoagulation service provides expert testing, monitoring and a dosage advice service for patients taking warfarin in the community.
Anticoagulants are medicines which help prevent the development of potentially harmful blood clots in the heart and blood vessels. Anticoagulants work by interrupting the process involved in the formation of blood clots. They're sometimes called ‘blood-thinning’ medicines, although they don't actually make the blood thinner.
Warfarin is the most commonly prescribed anticoagulant for long-term use. Warfarin is a safe and effective medicine when properly monitored; monitoring can include blood tests which measure its effect at appropriate intervals and dose adjustments to ensure that its effect is maintained at the right level.
Services provided
- Warfarin dosage advice for patients at home and in care facilities such as nursing and residential homes
- Patient support and education, including a new patient clinic at West Suffolk Hospital for patients starting warfarin
- Advice and guidance for patients taking warfarin, including an anticoagulation review clinic at West Suffolk Hospital for patients experiencing difficulty maintaining good anticoagulation control
- Liaison with healthcare professionals in the community like GPs, community nurses and the early intervention teams on individual patient care issues (e.g. compliance, reversal of anticoagulation, anticoagulation support with low molecular weight heparin)
- Point of care (finger prick) testing clinics at Newmarket and West Suffolk hospitals
- Training for patients and healthcare professionals (e.g. nursing home, practice and community nurses) in the use of point of care testing devices
- Dedicated telephone advice lines for patients and healthcare professionals
Contact the team
Kate Wade, lead anticoagulation and DVT clinical nurse specialist: 01284 713088
Patient advice line: 01284 713085 (open 10.30am - 1.00pm, Monday - Friday excluding bank holidays)
Email: anticoagulation.service@wsh.nhs.uk
Patient information
Anticoagulant Service