How can I effectively assess the risk of VTE in patients undergoing surgery or those with prolonged immobility?

To effectively assess the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients undergoing surgery or experiencing prolonged immobility, use a risk assessment tool published by a UK professional body or peer-reviewed journal, such as the Department of Health VTE risk assessment tool ².

Assess all surgical and trauma patients as soon as possible after admission or by the first consultant review, using this tool to identify their individual risk of VTE and bleeding ².

Balance the patient's individual risk of VTE against their risk of bleeding when deciding on prophylaxis ².

For patients with signs or symptoms of DVT, use the 2‑level DVT Wells score to estimate the clinical probability of DVT, which considers factors such as recent surgery, immobilisation, and leg swelling ¹.

Similarly, for suspected PE, the Wells score is used to estimate the probability, guiding further diagnostic steps ¹.