Heart Charity Urges People To Help Fight UK's Biggest Killer

Main Category: Heart Disease
Also Included In: Cardiovascular / Cardiology
Article Date: 17 Feb 2009 - 0:00 PST

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The British Heart Foundation is calling on people in England to help make sure heart patients remain at the top of the Government's health care strategy.

The heart charity is urging the public to sign a petition demanding a new Government plan to support people affected by heart and circulatory conditions in England. People can sign the petition online at http://www.newheartplan.org.uk or in any of the 490 BHF charity shops in England.

Heart and circulatory disease is the UK's biggest killer, claiming the lives of around 200,000 people each year in the UK. Every six minutes someone dies from a heart attack.

The National Service Framework for Coronary Heart Disease in England comes to an end in 2009/10 and there is currently no plan to replace it. The framework has been crucial in providing a focus for the health service in reducing death and disability caused by heart and circulatory conditions.

Betty McBride, Director of Policy & Communications, at the BHF said: "This isn't a "job done" - heart disease remains the UK's biggest single killer and the Government mustn't be allowed to take its foot of the pedal on this. If that happens the undoubted progress we've made in we've made in recent years will unravel. Heart patients deserve better."

The BHF is a member of the Cardio & Vascular Coalition (CVC), a group of 41 organisations who are all calling for a new Government plan to tackle heart and circulatory conditions. The Coalition has conducted a public consultation to find out what patients, their families and carers want from a new plan, ahead of publishing its own strategy for the future of heart patient care in March.

Betty McBride said: "Stroke and Cancer have plans and the Government has just published its new Dementia strategy. The two million heart patients in England have every right to ask where's ours?"

"The Government can't afford to take its eye off the ball. The burden of cardiovascular disease is set to increase as more people are living longer with heart conditions. And with an increasing number of people overweight and obese the progress we've made could be reversed unless we make every effort to maintain momentum."

The BHF is the nation's heart charity, dedicated to saving lives through pioneering research, patient care, campaigning for change and by providing vital information. But we urgently need help. We rely on donations of time and money to continue our life-saving work. Because together we can beat heart disease.

For more information visit http://www.bhf.org.uk

The CVC is a national coalition of 41 voluntary organisations with an interest in promoting and protecting cardiac and vascular health in England. The CVC is committed to working with and influencing central and local government, health and social care commissioners, service planners and policy makers to ensure that cardiac and vascular health is high on their agendas. For more information about the CVC visit http://www.cardiovascularcoalition.org.uk

The petition will be available for people to sign in BHF Shops in England from 16 Feb-16 March. To find your nearest BHF Shop, visit http://www.bhf.org.uk/shops

British Heart Foundation

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