This week I have been campaigning to raise awareness of hospital acquired thrombosis. It is estimated that there are 25,000 preventable deaths caused each year from hospital acquired thrombosis – the UK’s single biggest preventable hospital killer.

The ‘stop the clot’ initiative, spearheaded by the charity Lifeblood, is a week-long campaign to reach out to the general public and undergraduate medics, to improve understanding about the risks of developing deep vein thrombosis in hospital.

At a meeting in Westminster I was briefed by the team at Lifeblood about the risks of developing thrombosis. A deep vein thrombosis is a blood clot in the veins of the lower body, which can particularly form when someone is immobile and unwell. Part (or all) of the clot can detach and travel through the blood system where it can block the arteries supplying the lungs - a pulmonary embolism - which can be fatal.

Thrombosis is the immediate cause of death in 10% of all patients who die in hospital although most blood clots show up after the patient has left hospital.

It is important that everyone understands that this is not just a condition that affects older people or those taking long haul flights. 500 people die each week in our hospitals from this preventable illness.

If you are a patient at hospital you need to make sure you are properly risk assessed by staff when you first go in. This would help to reduce the thousands of preventable deaths from this potentially fatal condition.

Lifeblood’s ‘stop the clot’ campaign is encouraging people who go into hospital, and those family members of patients, to better understand the risks of developing the condition and to take the necessary steps to prevent them falling ill. Lifeblood has developed the ‘FLOW’ campaign as part of this initiative:

Find out if you are at risk of developing thrombosis in hospital by asking for a risk-assessment

Lower your risk by using compression stockings and blood thinners

Observe any symptoms of clots – warmth, swelling or pain

Warn your doctor or nurse if you experience symptoms or are concerned about your risk