Alex Cunningham has pledged his support for HEART UK in its aim to ensure that cardiovascular disease (CVD) – one of the UK’s biggest killers – remains a key government priority.
The cholesterol charity recently released a new cholesterol plan for government, setting out clear and focussed recommendations designed to address the issues around treatment and management of CVD.
Labour’s Stockton North MP attended the official launch of the new plan 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.
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.
HEART UK’s plan includes a call to maintain the Health Checks programme which tests cholesterol, blood pressure and BMI, preventing 2,500 heart attacks and strokes, as well as for measures to ensure all patients have equal access to CVD prevention, diagnosis and support services across the NHS.
Alex said:
“I am delighted to support HEART UK’s attempts to ensure that everyone knows their cholesterol and that the Government 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 both nationally and at home in the Stockton borough.”
HEART UK Chief Executive, Jules Payne, said: “I would like to thank Alex for pledging to support HEART UK’s ambition of implementing our recommendations. With cardiovascular disease remaining one of the country’s biggest killers, and cholesterol being a major contributor, we are urging the Government not be complacent with the current programmes and to dedicate funding and support to future management, treatment and reporting of heart disease.
“There is still a lot of work to do both at local and national levels to ensure that knowledge of different lipid conditions is understood by adults in the UK and that once conditions are diagnosed, our health system can continue to give them the help and support required.”