Details about HEART UK's Board, committees and operations can be viewed by
clicking on the relevant box in the above diagram.
H·E·A·R·T UK is a registered charity that was formed in 2002 by the merger of the British Hyperlipidaemia Association and the Family Heart Association. The former was a professional learned society and the latter a patients’ organisation. H·E·A·R·T UK therefore consists of two constituent divisions each of which have their own committee structure to represent their interests, and the Board of Trustees of H·E·A·R·T UK is composed of the chairpersons of the respective committees and representatives of both the Professional and Patient Divisions.
Board of Trustees
The Board oversees the running of the charity and meets regularly to manage the affairs. The Board currently comprises 12 Trustee Directors, who are selected for their health professional, financial and patient expertise, experience and skills. Trustee Directors may be appointed either by co-option by and to the Board or by the membership being invited to submit nominations. The Board may make a recommendation for the appointment of Chairman but he or she is elected by the membership normally at an Annual General Meeting. It is expected the normal route to office such as to Chair, Vice Chair and Treasurer would be through tenure of office in a Sub Committee or Main Committee and Main Board. However there may be exceptional circumstances where the direct appointment to Main Board or Office may be possible where agreed by resolution and membership at an AGM. Trustees are appraised of their duties and obligations under company and charity law and Charity Commission guidelines and recommendations. The Trustees adhere to corporate governance policies and are required to register and declare any potential conflicts of interest on a regular basis.
The Board is supported by a number of Professional Committees and Professional Sub Committees as well as the Patient Committee and Working Groups, all of which are responsible for reporting to the Board, which must endorse their proposals. The Trustees, in turn, submit an audited annual report and accounts to members and the Charity Commissioners.
How the committees operate
Members of H·E·A·R·T UK’s Committees and Sub Committees include Trustees, health professionals, scientists, patients and charity management representatives. Members of the MS&R, Health Care, Patient and Campaigning Committees are co-opted from amongst the charity membership and may be appointed from the other committees. The committees meet regularly, communicate electronically and report to the main board of H·E·A·R·T UK on a quarterly basis. Back to top
The Professional Scientific Committees
The Medical and Scientific Research (MS&R) Committee: represents the medically qualified and scientific members of the Charity and provides and professional advice/input overview of all clinical matters within the scope of H·E·A·R·T UK, Amongst its functions, it provides a forum to synthesise clinical advice for treatment of hyperlipidaemia. This can be seen through its role in providing input to the Joint British Societies Guidelines, PRODIGY GP support system and National Institute for health & Clinical Excellence (NICE) and further reports on aspects of cardiovascular disease, risk factors and diabetes.
The Medical Scientific & Research Committee is accountable to the Board of H·E·A·R·T UK for professional matters including organising an Annual Medical and Scientific Meeting, professional conferences, speciality training, research awards, research and guideline development, and representing the society as a stakeholder with, for example, the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence.
The Health Care Committee: was founded in recognition of the need not only to provide a forum for discussion, but also to provide up to date information and opinion for the wide range of health care professionals who care for patients and their families with lipid disorders. This Committee represents the interests of nurses, general practitioners, dietitians and physiotherapists.
The Health Care Committee is responsible for organising the Health Care section of the charity’s Annual Scientific and Medical Conference providing an educational and research forum that is relevant to everyday clinical practice, particularly in primary care. Committee members work in close harmony with their colleagues in the MSR Committee to achieve the best possible Conference programmes. This section of the conference provides an overview of the most important and current research findings and the means through which such research evidence can be disseminated and integrated into practice.
The Professional Scientific Sub Committees
The Laboratory Scientific Sub-Committee reports to the MS&R Committee and meets regularly four times a year, is undertaking currently a major project investigating the accuracy of cholesterol, triglyceride and HDL measurements in pathology laboratories throughout the UK.
The Simon Broome Register and Scientific Sub-Committee: reports to the MS&R Committee and is responsible for directing research based on a national cohort of over 3,500 patients with familial hypercholesterolaemia. The Sub-Committee is composed of clinical academics, geneticists and clinicians.
For more information about the work of the Simon Broome Register, please click here
The Patients Committee: represents the interests and needs of patients with inherited high cholesterol (which may include familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) or familial combined hypercholesterolaemia (FCH) or other familial dyslipidaemias) and their families and also those at risk of cardiovascular disease through lifestyle choices leading, in some cases, to elevated cholesterol levels. This Committee and its members are at the forefront of developing patient support programmes that are best suited to, developed and demanded by patients. These programmes include Family Support Centres and the motivation, selection and support of volunteer patient teams.
The Campaigning Committee: reports to the Main Board and represents a coalition of cholesterol stakeholders to address mutual concern at low awareness levels amongst the UK population about cholesterol. Supported by organisations who work in partnership, the committee seeks to influence Government and related organisations about the risks associated with raised cholesterol. Further information about the work of HEART UK’s Campaigning Committee is available here.
The Finance and General Purpose Committee (FGP): is responsible for financial and general business affairs of the charity. FGP reviews the charity’s financial results on a regular basis and also reviews draft annual budgets. Prior to the Charity’s AGM (in June), FGP reviews draft audited financial accounts which, if agreed, are then recommended to the Board for its approval.
FGP is becoming increasingly involved in reviewing investment strategy and corporate governance as a consequence of more stringent legal and Charity Commission requirements. The Committee also delegates to a number of its members the task of reviewing proposed commercial contracts arising from negotiations between the Product Approval Working Group and commercial organisations. Other matters within its remit include, property matters and review of proposed personnel changes, salaries and authorised signatories.
Conflict of Interest
H·E·A·R·T UK operates a Conflict of Interest Policy, and the Declaration Document may
be viewed by clicking here.
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H·E·A·R·T UK Trading Co Ltd
The charity has a wholly owned trading subsidiary, H·E·A·R·T UK Trading Company Limited, which is incorporated in the United Kingdom and pays all its taxable profits to the charity by Gift Aid. Its objectives are to support the charity through the sales of publications and other material in relation to cardiovascular disease, the approval of products considered beneficial to health and other such commercial ventures. Back to top
Product Approval Working Group (PAWG)
The Product Approval Working Group (PAWG), reporting to the Main Board of H·E·A·R·T UK, operates within an ethical and scientific policy framework to evaluate approaches from food manufacturers and organisations who seek charity approval for their products. PAWG also advises on the development of the charity’s corporate partnerships associated with product approval. Click HERE for further information about HEART UK's formal product approval policy.
Occasionally, other ad-hoc working groups may be appointed by the committees subject to approval to the Board of Trustees. Back to top
Core operation staff, admin and resources
HEART UK's offices are located in Maidenhead, Berkshire. Under the leadership of The Director, ten members of staff are employed to manage the health care advisory service, take forward the core programmes (including fundraising and campaigning) and manage the accounts. Click HERE for more information about HEART UK staff. Back to top
Core programmes
H·E·A·R·T UK core programmes include communications and education (targeted mainly at cardiovascular disease prevention), advocacy and the mutual exchange of information between people with inherited high cholesterol in partnership with heath care professionals, the Government and commercial partners. Patients – particularly those with inherited high cholesterol and cardiovascular disease - are at the centre of all HEART UK activity. Click HERE for further information about the charity's
activity. Back to top
