VTE prevention

The Oxford University Hospitals VTE Prevention Service works to prevent venous thromboembolism (VTE).

VTE is a collective name for a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) a blood clot in the leg, or pulmonary embolism (PE), a blood clot in your lung.

The most common time for a VTE to develop is during or following a hospital admission. Up to 60 percent of all VTEs in the UK are associated with hospital admissions, and it is important to provide exemplary VTE prevention measures to reduce the risk of avoidable harm to patients.

At Oxford University Hospitals, the VTE Prevention Team works collaboratively with the clinical teams to optimise the safety of all inpatients aged 16 and over.

We mostly treat inpatients, but certain high-risk procedures carry a significant risk of VTE that continues after patients leave hospital, and as such a type of anticoagulant is indicated after these procedures. Duration depends on the indication and the agent used, but this must be supplied by the hospital.

The OUH VTE Prevention Team has been revalidated as a VTE Exemplar Centre for three consecutive times and awarded with a special commendation in recognition of their outstanding work, having demonstrated exceptional quality, innovation and leadership:

Oxford University Hospitals gets validated as a VTE Exemplar Centre for the third consecutive time