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Sir Roger Gale MP supports calls to prioritise a quarter of all UK deaths

November 2nd 2018

Report shows that renewed efforts are required to improve cardiovascular disease outcomes

Sir Roger Gale MP is supporting HEART UK, the cholesterol charity, in its aim of ensuring that cardiovascular disease (CVD), one of the UK’s biggest killers, remains a key priority for both the Government and NHS. This comes as HEART UK releases its State of the Nation report setting out clear and focussed recommendations designed to address the issues around the treatment and management of CVD from local to national levels.

North Thanet falls within Kent and Medway Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP) which is responsible for addressing the future health needs of the wider region. With the right action, the STP can help identify up to 131,200 people who are at a high risk of developing CVD.

Despite progress in some areas of CVD management over the past 20 years, there are still around 160,000 deaths every year in the UK and about 175,000 heart attacks, so it is more important than ever that CVD remains high on the UK health agenda.

To support the identification of CVD within North Thanet, Sir Roger Gale MP attended the official launch of the State of the Nation report at a one off cholesterol testing event in the House of Commons, highlighting HEART UK’s mission for the majority of UK adults to know and understand their cholesterol levels in order to take any necessary action.

Key recommendations within the report include:

* The NHS England long-term plan must ensure that CVD prevention and cholesterol management is rightly prioritised and that any proposed methods to improve outcomes in these areas have a clear implementation strategy

* A Government commitment that there will be no further cuts to public health funding

Speaking after the event, Roger, said: “I wholeheartedly endorse HEART UK’s attempts to ensure that everyone knows their cholesterol and that the Government and NHS does all it can to ensure that patients at high risk of CVD are identified, managed and cared for in the best possible way. Cholesterol testing is simple, quick and painless and I would urge all adults to get themselves tested. I am committed to working with the local NHS and in Parliament to ensure that heart disease services are well-coordinated and remain a public health priority.”

Commenting on the State of the Nation report launch and testing event, HEART UK Chief Executive, Ms Jules Payne, said: “I would like to thank Sir Roger for pledging to support HEART UK’s ambition of implementing our recommendations. With cardiovascular disease remaining one of the UK’s biggest killers and cholesterol being a major contributor, we are urging the Government and NHS not to be complacent with the current programmes and to dedicate funding and support to future management, treatment and reporting of CVD.”