Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the estimated number of people living with undiagnosed heart valve disease.

No specific estimate has been made.

A new pre-diagnosis breathlessness pathway has been developed to support the improved recognition and timely diagnosis of heart failure and heart valve disease. Community diagnostic centres have also been launched to support Primary Care Network diagnostic services and improve detection of conditions such as heart failure and heart valve disease.

NHS England and NHS Improvement are working with Health Education England and cardiology clinicians in England to develop new heart failure and heart valve disease e-learning. This will support healthcare professionals to recognise the symptoms of heart failure and valve disease and to diagnose, manage and provide care to patients with heart disease in the community.