Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent progress he has made in helping to reduce sudden cardiac deaths in (a) children and (b) young adults.

NHS England has published a national service specification for inherited cardiac conditions that covers patients who often present as young adults with previously undiagnosed cardiac disease or families requiring follow up due to a death from this cause. This describes the service model and guidance that should be followed to support diagnosis and treatment of patients or family members. It also includes the requirement for specialised inherited cardiac conditions services to investigate suspected cases.

NHS England is currently reviewing this service specification in line with the national service specification methods review process. NHS England is working with a broad range of stakeholders as part of this review including National Health Service clinical experts, the Association of Inherited Cardiac Conditions, Cardiomyopathy UK, Heart Valve Voice, and the British Heart Foundation.

The consensus at present is to focus on the rapid identification and care of people who are likely to be at risk of sudden cardiac death, and on automated external defibrillator use in people who suffer a cardiac arrest.