Although Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) is one of the leading causes of disability and death in the United Kingdom it is fundamentally preventable through an individual’s healthier lifestyle choices, earlier detection, and improved management of CVD risk factors.

These risk factors (i.e., hypertension, atrial fibrillation and high cholesterol) are also linked with an increased risk of dementia, and hypertension specifically has been singled out as the single biggest global risk factor for preventable deaths and disability adjusted life years (ref Lancet Global Burden of Disease, 2021).

Across Greater Manchester, we recognise that we were unable to detect and optimise CVD risk factors during the pandemic. These lost opportunities will undoubtedly lead to an increase in:
1. The number of CVD events
2. The diagnosis of CVD related dementia

The GM System must develop plans to restart, recover and amplify our CVD prevention initiatives.

Specifically, for CVD recovery and prevention, this means the Greater Manchester Integrated Care System will support our communities to articulate a system wide ambition/strategy that:

1. Enables the removal of barriers to CVD prevention for all (addressing health inequalities – CORE20+5 approach)
2. Delivers a whole system approach to detection of risk factors. Remains joined up, across all system strategies (pop health, stroke, diabetes, cardiac, cardiology, support public health initiatives and healthy behaviours)
3. Remains data driven
4. Supports earlier diagnosis through opportunistic checks, Health Checks
5. Provides clear Governance, measures, and reporting procedures.

We will achieve this in Greater Manchester by:

• Helping people to recognise and understand their CVD risks and adopt healthier lifestyles.
• Supporting a full pathway approach to prevention (primary, secondary and tertiary).

Click here to read our Greater Manchester Recovery and Prevention Plan.

Prevention Oversight Group:

The Greater Manchester Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Oversight Group will set the strategic direction for local prevention initiatives. These initiatives will be specifically aligned to detection, management and optimisation of atrial fibrillation, hypertension and cholesterol and related risk factors, in addition to cardiac and stroke rehabilitation.

In March 2023, members of our prevention oversight group were asked to share their ambitions for this work. You can read what they had to say by clicking here.