Government must roll out heart screening ASAP, says MEP

2.58.00pm GMT Thu 4th Sep 2008

Local LibDem MEP Liz Lynne is calling on the Government to roll out its promised heart screening programme as quickly as possible after a new study suggests that nearly four million people in the UK may be unaware they are at high risk of heart disease.

Despite being announced in January of this year, and there being an acknowledged high incidence of heart disease in the UK, the Government's 'Vascular Screening Programme', which will include heart check-ups for people aged 40-74, will not be implemented in the West Midlands until the financial year 2009-2010.

Speaking today in Brussels, Liz Lynne, who has often campaigned on public health issues, said:

"The new screening programme cannot be rolled out soon enough. We have a terrible problem with heart disease in this country, particularly when compared with southern European countries. This costs the UK economy billions in healthcare and lost productivity each year. We need to work hard to reduce preventable deaths, through early diagnosis and education.

"Heart screening already exists in other Member States such as Finland and I'm sure there are many other lessons we can learn through improved exchange of best practice with our EU neighbours which could also help save lives."

On local schemes leading the way, Liz added:

"However, praise must be given to pioneering health trusts such as South Birmingham PCT who have been running their own 'heart MOT' scheme locally, advertising through pharmacies. I hope that many more trusts will run similar schemes as it may be some time before people across the region get an invitation from the nationwide heart screening programme."

ENDS

Notes:

The study, by Oxford University and published in the International Journal of Clinical practice, suggests that across the UK, 7.9 million people have been diagnosed with heart disease or a high risk of developing it, while another 2.8 million men and 900,000 women are still undiagnosed.

In a separate study earlier this year the UK came 7th out of 27 EU Member States for overall provision of cardiovascular care which assessed areas such as including patient rights, access to treatment, prevention, procedures and clinical outcomes.

Within England, the West Midlands region has an above average death rate from Coronary Heart Disease at 101 deaths per 100,000 people aged 35-74, compared to 90/100,000 across England (2006).

According to a 2006 Oxford university study, heart disease costs the UK economy more the £29bn a year in healthcare costs and lost productivity.