HEART UK’s response to the announcement of an independent investigation into the state of NHS

HEART UK welcomes the new Government’s announcement of an independent investigation into the state of the NHS led by Rt Hon Professor Lord Darzi.

Despite commitments from previous governments the rate of people dying from heart and circulatory diseases before the age of 75 in England has reached its highest level for more than a decade. High cholesterol is a major underlying risk factor for CVD, and it is estimated that almost half of the UK population have high cholesterol.  Other blood fats, such as triglycerides and Lipoprotein(a) are also contributing to CVD, heart attacks and strokes.  Most of which, could be avoided.  If three approaches were taken, it would have a huge impact on the population:

1. Do prevention properly from an early age.  This would result in people staying healthier for long, remaining in work, as well as saving significant funds.
2. Ringfence funding for prevention.  This is essential in order to truly focus on moving away from acute issues.
3. Put the patient at the centre of everything.  Involving the patient in this 10 year journey at an early stage is essential to ensure the ‘new look’ NHS is fit for purpose from the bottom up, as well as the top down.

We recognise that work is needed to diagnose the problems at the heart of the NHS before appropriate solutions can be put in place, to improve the care and outcomes of those that need the NHS. We also welcome the speed at which the new Government is acting, following confirmation that the report will be completed by September 2024.

CVD affects over seven million people in the UK and is a significant cause of disability and death. Improving the NHS so it better prevents and treats CVD has the potential to save capacity and resource and most importantly lives. 

We hope to work with and feed into Government as it develops its 10-year plan to reform the NHS, which this review will be informing.

We will use any opportunity to engage with this review, and subsequent plan to ensure that the NHS is improved for the millions of people living with CVD.

Let’s work together to turn the NHS from a sickness into a wellness organisation, and keep more people working and more families together.