Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what action they are taking to provide consistent pathways and ensure collaboration in tackling cardiovascular disease (CVD) and CVD-risk conditions throughout the NHS.

As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, to accelerate progress on the ambition to reduce premature deaths from heart disease and stroke by 25% within a decade, we will publish a new Cardiovascular Disease Modern Service Framework (CVD MSF) later this year.

The Department and NHS England are working together to deliver the CVD MSF and are engaging widely with stakeholders and communities throughout its development to ensure that we prioritise ambitious, evidence-led, consistent, high quality and clinically informed approaches to prevention, treatment, and care. We have a dedicated task and finish group with representation from over 30 stakeholders representing a wide range of organisations, including patient experience groups, charities, think tanks, and professional bodies related to CVD and associated conditions, and have held workshops with royal colleges, patient and public voice partners, and NHS system leaders.

Alongside this, work is underway to improve the impact of the NHS Health Check, a core component of England’s CVD prevention programme which prevents around 500 heart attacks and strokes a year. To improve access engagement, the Department and NHS England are developing an NHS Health Check Online service, which is being piloted in 11 local authorities across England, and insights from stakeholders will inform decisions on future development needs and rollout plans.

NHS England continues to work with regional and local teams to support Cardiac Networks and Integrated Stroke Delivery Networks, targeting improvement to the entire CVD pathway from prevention to end of life care.