Thousands of lives could be saved and millions more improved as the government sets out plans for the health and care system to help cut the one in four early deaths caused by heart disease and strokes.
The government has launched the Cardiovascular disease modern service framework, which will be used to drive better prevention, earlier diagnosis, faster treatment and more consistent care through health and care services across the country.
Every 3 minutes somebody in the UK dies from heart or circulatory disease with around 33,000 people dying prematurely from heart disease and stroke every year. The framework supports the government’s ambition to cut premature deaths from heart disease and stroke by 25% over the next 10 years and will be supported through a series of partnerships between government and charities - beginning today with Diabetes UK.
The partnership with Diabetes UK will raise awareness of the links between type 2 diabetes and heart disease and include a public awareness campaign as well as greater use of the Know Your Risk tool so people better understand the risks to their health and the positive actions they can take.
Cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes are closely linked, with people living with diabetes or prediabetes at significantly higher risk of heart attack and stroke. More than 4 million people in the UK have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, with a further 1.3 million thought to be living with it without knowing.
Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, James Murray, said: "Too many people are dying early from heart attacks and strokes that we know are preventable. This is not good enough and that’s why we are setting clear priorities to help people stay healthier for longer, identify and diagnose serious disease much earlier, and deliver better treatment when it is needed. But we know we cannot do all this by ourselves. That is why I am proud of our new partnership with Diabetes UK, the first of many, through which we will work closely with expert organisations to help people reduce their risk of getting ill and know where to get help."
Supporting delivery of the 10 Year Health Plan, the framework marks a clear shift from reactive care to prevention, improving population health while reducing pressure on NHS services. The framework will establish 12 immediate priorities over the next 3 years, setting out initiatives local health and care systems should deliver to cut mortality and reduce inequalities.
Priorities include:
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finding and supporting people with high-risk conditions, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, chronic kidney disease, diabetes and heart failure, to stay healthier for longer through better management and personalised care
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ensuring people who have a heart attack or stroke receive faster, higher quality treatment when every minute counts
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improving access to rehabilitation and ongoing support so people can recover well and return to everyday life
Successful implementation of the framework could prevent between 1,600 and 2,400 premature deaths annually from heart disease and stroke (in those aged under 75) in the first 3 years, and between 3,850 and 4,900 such deaths per year after 10 years, while supporting wider efforts across the health and care system to improve outcomes.
Public Health Minister, Sharon Hodgson MP, said: "Thousands of lives are being cut short every year by preventable conditions. We know how to prevent and treat these conditions and we must do more to ensure people are getting the help they need. The new cardiovascular disease modern service framework is an important step forward, committing local services to work together and deliver care for the people most in need. This is how we move from reactive care to prevention."
Colette Marshall, Chief Executive at Diabetes UK, said: "We’re pleased to be partnering with the Department of Health and Social Care to support its goal of reducing premature deaths from cardiovascular disease over the next decade. Diabetes can lead to serious complications, including heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular conditions, but the risk of these can be reduced if people have equitable access to high-quality care.
"We welcome the focus these new plans place on finding and supporting those at risk of type 2 diabetes and preventing the condition where possible. These improvements will also help people living with all types of diabetes manage their condition better and live longer, healthier lives."
The prevention accelerators programme, which launched last month, will help deliver the priorities set out in the framework, bringing together local NHS services, councils and community partners to identify people at risk, improve uptake of high-impact cardiovascular disease and diabetes interventions and support healthier behaviours.
The framework will introduce priority areas for change designed to:
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use neighbourhood outreach, population health tools and digital records to locate the missing millions of people with undiagnosed cardiovascular disease or whose lifestyles put them at increased risk
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better target and manage the care for those at higher risk of conditions including high cholesterol or blood pressure, and increase the proportion of people with well-managed high blood pressure to 80% over the next 3 years
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bring a renewed focus on underserved groups and communities who already experience health inequalities
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speed up and improve acute care for stroke, reducing treatment delays
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improve access to rehabilitation
The programme forms part of the government’s 10 Year Health Plan, shifting the NHS from treating illness to preventing it, while helping to reduce pressure on GP services and hospitals.
This announcement follows on from the June launch of 5 prevention accelerators to test new ways of identifying people at risk of serious illness earlier and helping them stay healthier for longer.
