A new government strategy has been unveiled with the ambitious goal of saving thousands of lives and improving millions more by significantly reducing premature deaths caused by heart disease and strokes. The Cardiovascular Disease Modern Service Framework, launched today, Tuesday 7 July, outlines a comprehensive approach to drive better prevention, earlier diagnosis, faster treatment, and more consistent care across the health and care system nationwide.
Every three minutes, someone in the UK succumbs to heart or circulatory disease, with approximately 33,000 individuals dying prematurely from heart disease and stroke each year. The new framework directly supports the government's aspiration to cut these early deaths by 25% over the coming decade. This will be bolstered by a series of collaborations between government bodies and charitable organisations, commencing with a significant partnership with Diabetes UK.
The initial collaboration with Diabetes UK is set to raise public awareness about the crucial links between type 2 diabetes and heart disease. This will involve a public information campaign and enhanced promotion of the 'Know Your Risk' tool, empowering individuals to better understand their health risks and the proactive steps they can take. The connection is profound, as people living with diagnosed or undiagnosed type 2 diabetes, or prediabetes, face a substantially elevated risk of heart attacks and strokes. Over four million people in the UK have a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes, with an estimated 1.3 million more thought to be living with the condition unknowingly.
Health and Social Care Secretary, James Murray, emphasised that too many individuals are dying prematurely from preventable heart attacks and strokes. He stated that the new framework sets clear priorities to help people maintain better health for longer, identify and diagnose serious diseases earlier, and ensure effective treatment is delivered when necessary. Murray highlighted the importance of partnerships, expressing pride in the new collaboration with Diabetes UK as the first of many, aiming to work closely with expert organisations to reduce illness risks and guide people to appropriate support.
The framework establishes 12 immediate priorities for local health and care systems over the next three years, focusing on initiatives to reduce mortality and address health inequalities. Key priorities include identifying and supporting individuals with high-risk conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, chronic kidney disease, diabetes, and heart failure, through improved management and personalised care. It also prioritises ensuring that individuals experiencing a heart attack or stroke receive rapid, high-quality treatment, where every minute is critical, and improving access to rehabilitation and ongoing support to facilitate recovery and return to daily life.
Successful implementation of this framework is projected to prevent between 1,600 and 2,400 premature deaths annually from heart disease and stroke (among those under 75) within the first three years. This figure is expected to rise to between 3,850 and 4,900 premature deaths per year after a decade, contributing significantly to broader efforts across the health and care system to improve patient outcomes. Public Health Minister, Sharon Hodgson MP, reiterated that thousands of lives are cut short annually by preventable conditions, stressing the need to do more to ensure people receive the necessary help.