Sudden Cardiac Death: Screening for Young People

Lord Hampton Excerpts

Monday 5th January 2026 Lords Chamber

Asked by

[Lord Hampton]

To ask His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the UK National Screening Committee’s position on screening to detect issues that could cause sudden cardiac death in young people.

[Lord Hampton (CB)]

My Lords, in begging leave to ask the Question standing in my name, I declare my interest as a state secondary school teacher in Hackney.

[Baroness in Waiting/Government Whip (Baroness Blake of Leeds) (Lab)]

Every sudden cardiac death of a young person is a tragedy. The UK National Screening Committee—UK NSC—is currently re-examining the evidence for sudden cardiac death screening in young people and will open a public consultation on this in the spring. The Government welcome the UK NSC’s robust and rigorous approach to evaluating the benefits and harms of screening, as it is vital that screening policy is based on scientific evidence.

[Lord Hampton (CB)]

I thank the Minister for that Answer. This week, Cardiac Risk in the Young will publish a study reporting on the cardiac screening of 104,000 young people aged 14 to 35 over a 10-year period in England and Wales. Uniquely, it follows up on each one. Sadly, this is still under embargo, but the results are very exciting. When the Minister has read the study, will she commit to a meeting with the NSC, specialist cardiologists and CRY so that we can reduce the number of 12 seemingly fit young people who die from sudden cardiac arrest every week?

[Baroness Blake of Leeds (Lab)]

The noble Lord raises an important point. The need for evidence is paramount in this area. I cannot speak on behalf of the Minister, but I will make sure that she is aware of the noble Lord’s request and will respond.