About the programme

The NHS Long Term Plan states that the biggest area where the NHS can save lives over the next 10 years is in reducing the incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD). CVD causes one death every three minutes in the UK, with those in the most deprived areas four times more likely to die. For the first time in 50 years, deaths from premature cardiovascular disease are on the rise. CVD is the single biggest area where the health service can save lives over the next 10 years through targeted approaches to reduce the widening of health inequalities.

To address this the Health Innovation Network Network is delivering a national lipids optimisation programme, which commenced in 2020/21, that will run for three years.

The programme aims are:

• Increase the number of people with measured cholesterol and to identify those with conditions that increase risk of  familial hypercholesterolemia 
• Provide more treatment options to high-risk patients who remain at risk despite maximum tolerated statin therapy
• Reduce health inequalities by ensuring a consistent, national approach to lipid management, using a NICE-endorsed clinical pathway
• Reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes occurring
• Reduce the risk of admissions and re-admissions associated with CVD.

Our approach

We have several focus areas within our lipids programme:

1. Familial Hypercholesterolaemia (FH) detection and lipid management optimisation to reduce death and disability due to premature CVD. This includes expanded access to genetic testing for FH via screening of electronic records and piloting a process of child-parent screening to enable early diagnosis and treatment for those at genetic risk of sudden cardiac death as per NICE clinical guidelines (CG71) and Quality Standards (QS41). Part of this has involved the promotion of the UCLP Proactive Care Frameworks (PCF) to support lipid optimisation in addition to the CDRC case finding tool for FH.
   
2. Working in partnership with the Accelerated Access Collaborative (AAC) Rapid Uptake Products (RUP) lipid management programme to improve patient access to appropriate medicines to enable lipid treatment using the NICE-recommended clinical pathway, with a focus on secondary prevention and including novel therapies.
3. We are promoting the Tackling Cholesterol Together education programme and the Cholesterol Now campaign. In addition to this we continue to deliver our IMPulse CVD sessions.
   
   
4. We are also focussing on raising awareness of the national statin intolerance pathway and lipid optimisation following an acute cardiovascular event.

The programme aims are:

• Increase the number of people with measured cholesterol and to identify those with conditions that increase risk of  familial hypercholesterolemia 
• Provide more treatment options to high-risk patients who remain at risk despite maximum tolerated statin therapy
• Reduce health inequalities by ensuring a consistent, national approach to lipid management, using a NICE-endorsed clinical pathway
• Reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes occurring
• Reduce the risk of admissions and re-admissions associated with CVD.

Find out more

Get in touch with a member of the project team below to find out how you can get involved.