Cardiovascular disease (CVD), such as heart disease and stroke, is a leading cause of death in the UK, responsible for a quarter of all mortalities each year (Source: British Heart Foundation).

High blood pressure and cholesterol are leading risk factors for CVD, but this is far from a foregone conclusion. Both are highly modifiable, and with effective treatment we can substantially lower the risk of CVD.

The CVD portfolio programme follows a multimorbidity approach which enables health innovation networks (HIN) and their partners delivery of CVD focused initiatives which are aligned to their respective ICB needs and priorities. Within the portfolio programme there is a consistent focus on: 

  • Adopting a population health management approach to addressing CVD prevention and management
  • Addressing health inequalities
  • Ensuring equitable access to evidence-based and/or NICE approved treatments (medicines, devices, medical technologies)
  • Shared learning to ensure timely adoption and spread of identified and evidence based innovations 

The CVD portfolio programme consists of several workstreams where the local networks opt in to deliver as a regional programme, in collaboration with their ICBs to align with their CVD priorities. The workstreams within the CVD prevention workstream comprise of :

  • lipid management and
  • familial hypercholesterolemia and
  • blood pressure optimisation.

The other workstreams are heart failure and chronic kidney failure. Our ambitious programme works collaboratively with partners and aims to reduce cardiovascular events for target patients, based on their CVD risk factors, therefore, essentially closing the health inequality gaps as well as improving health holistically.

The benefits of such a multimorbidity approach to tackling CVD include supporting strategic NHS ambitions to ease pressure on the wider system including:

  • tackling long-term conditions
  • supporting PCNs to achieve their QOF targets
  • prevent future CVD events
  • improving quality of life
  • increasing patients’ awareness to take on ownership of their cardiovascular health. 

Programme delivery nationally varies between each health network based on their Place-based partnership priorities with respective integrated care boards. However, all networks will continue to take a multi-morbid approach focusing on a cardio-renal-metabolic (CaReMe) ethos. Programme wide metrics have been developed and are being adopted at place. The success of each workstream depends on using evidence-based approaches to manage patients, targeted and opportunistic case finding, and use of innovations, as well as primary and secondary CVD prevention pathways, implementation based on NICE accredited guidelines.

Programmes and initiatives

Lipid management and Familial Hypercholesterolemia

Working collaboratively with health professionals to improve diagnosis and treatment.

Intertwined hands holding a cut out of a heart, on a green background

Blood pressure optimisation

Together, we can tackle health inequalities and optimise clinical care for people with high blood pressure.

Two people seated at table looking at device

Heart Failure

Together, we can help reduce the number of cases in secondary care and avoidable re-admissions.

A cropped image of a doctor and patient's hands, showing them sat facing each other.

Chronic Kidney Disease

This workstream aims to reduce the progression of this condition to end stage renal disease, including the requirement for dialysis.

Female doctor in green overalls talking to lady in brown cardigan

Previous programmes

Atrial fibrillation

This programme of work helped increase detection of the condition and supported healthcare professionals to offer optimal medication to patients.

Lady in blue nurse's overalls taking heart beat reading of lady in dusty pink t-shirt using a stethoscope