£9 million to spot heart conditions earlier

NHS England has announced that a new £9 million programme to spot heart conditions earlier will save at least 200 lives and offer protection to thousands more.

As part of the NHS Long Term Plan’s renewed focus on preventing and tackling killer conditions, the scheme will see almost 20,000 people at higher risk of experiencing a stroke receive targeted checks and treatment.

Running until next March, the programme will see patients identified by specialist nurses and clinical pharmacists across the country who are trained to treat a heart condition – called atrial fibrillation – which increases the chance of having a stroke. Clinicians will then identify patients in each surgery who have been diagnosed with atrial fibrillation but are not receiving treatment. Anyone identified as being at risk will be offered a personalised treatment plan developed with their GP.

The programme will run across 23 areas of the country with the highest rates of the condition receiving funding for specialist clinical pharmacists to help identify people who could benefit from medication. It will treat more than 18,000 people, preventing around 700 strokes, saving an estimated 200 lives and stopping long-term health problems among thousands more, including disability.

Stephen Powis, NHS medical director, said: “Tackling heart disease and stroke is a top priority in the NHS Long Term Plan, which will save thousands of lives by better diagnosis and treatment for people with killer conditions. By targeting help at those people most at risk of illness, and training up specialist clinicians, the NHS in England will help families across the country avoid the pain and loss associated with stroke.

“Not only is stroke one of the biggest killers in our country, but it leads to life-changing and often devastating long-term harm for many others, so by spotting the risks early, the NHS will not only prevent serious harm to the people affected, but avoid the need for aftercare which puts additional pressure on the health service.”

Juliet Bouverie, chief executive of the Stroke Association, added: “This is a great step in the right direction. We’re pleased that pharmacists now have the tools to spot people most likely to have a stroke, so that they can be supported and spared the devastation stroke brings. Most people don’t know if they have atrial fibrillation and we’d like to see more speaking with a pharmacist or visiting their GPs to get checked.”