What is NICCS?
The Network for Inherited Cardiac Conditions Scotland (NICCS) is a National Managed Clinical Network which supports improvements in the diagnosis, treatment and outcomes of people with inherited cardiac conditions (ICC). The Network was re-launched in 2019 to reflect the extended remit of the Familial Arrhythmia Network Scotland (FANS) to include inherited cardiomyopathies, as well as inherited arrhythmias.
The management of an individual with an inherited cardiac condition (ICC) has traditionally been complex due to the number of consultations with different healthcare professionals. Together with the challenges in establishing a diagnosis, this can lead to delays in care. Management involves a multidisciplinary approach by many healthcare professionals. For example:
- Cardiologists
- Geneticists
- Genetic Counsellors
- General Practitioners
- Specialist Nurses & Allied Health Professionals
- Paediatricians
- Pathologists
NICCS brings together professionals involved in providing ICC care, together with people affected by an ICC and relevant voluntary organisations to support the delivery of standardised quality patient care across Scotland. The network aims for patients to be managed according to evidence based guidelines and audits practice and outcomes of every centre against agreed national standards, hence providing a basis for improving the quality of care.