HEART UK calls on everyone to give their views on the Government consultation on the NHS 10-Year Health Plan
HEART UK calls on everyone to give their views individually and include our asks - Deadline : 2nd December 2024.
Following the publication of the findings of Lord Darzi’s independent review of the NHS in England the Government has recently published a consultation seeking views on how to ensure the health service is fit for the future.
As referenced in our previous piece on Lord Darzi’s review, HEART UK welcomes the opportunity to share our thoughts on changes that can be made to improve the health system. These changes will centre on ways that prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) can be improved in the health system as, despite most cases being preventable, CVD is still one of the biggest killers in England. High cholesterol, as well as other blood fats including triglycerides and Lipoprotein(a) are key contributing factors to CVD cases.
Alongside submitting a formal response to this consultation, HEART UK has already been attending meetings with Government to share thoughts and suggestions. In addition to this, we have been collaborating with our network of wider charities, including Arrhythmia Alliance, Blood Pressure UK, Cardiomyopathy, Diabetes UK, and Stroke Association, to agree a unified message to Government.
We will continue to engage to ensure the 10-Year Plan supports an improved health system that can, in turn, support improved CVD outcomes.
HEART UK is urging all supporters from England to submit their own views to this ChangeNHS consultation. Aligning our views means we are speaking with a united voice and a great opportunity to send a consistent message to Government about the impact that lowering cholesterol, triglycerides and Lp(a) can have on the prevention of CVD.
Together we can use our voices to call for improvements in CVD prevention, improve lives, keep people active and in work and saving resources for the NHS.
Please can we ask you to include our asks in your response, or at least the ones you feel most passionate about.
Below are HEART UK’s main asks:
1. Do primary and secondary (pre and post CVD event – such as a heart attack or stroke) prevention properly. This would reduce the number of heart attacks and strokes significantly and would stop atherosclerosis from building up before it happens or getting any worse post CVD event, saving the health system money and keeping people contributing to society.
2. Ringfence prevention funding. This will ensure funding goes truly to prevention rather than it be redirected to acute care.
3. Put the patient at the centre of everything. Ensure patients are involved across the whole health system to support improvements and ensure the system is providing what is needed to take a whole patient approach to care and utilising the whole health workforce effectively.
4. Open public reporting on prevention. Being held to account on what is being delivered and achieved against targets and also on spending.
5. Improve genetic testing. The heel prick test at birth and a national screening programme, including family cascade testing for genetic conditions, such as familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH)
6. Greater uptake of the NHS Health Check, especially at a younger age in high risk areas and communities. This will support the prevention agenda. Change the age to 25 for high risk areas and communities.
7. Improve identification of Lp(a): ensure consistent testing and reporting; include LP(a) in risk calculators and in the NICE lipid guidelines. As one of the key contributing factors to CVD events, more importance should be given to Lp(a).
8. The NHS to live the narrative. As the largest employer in England, the NHS have a large workforce to look after and they should live the narrative ensure a healthy workforce, including mandating healthy food option in all NHS workplaces.
9. Better use of the NHS app. Allow patients to input information into the NHS App, book appointments and much more. The app can be used much wider to support prevention.
10. Collaborate through third sector partnerships. This will result in more capacity for the NHS.
Please can we ask you to include our asks in your response, or at least the ones you feel most passionate about.