Plan to reduce heart disease in Wales

The Welsh Government’s Health Minister Lesley Griffiths has launched a major new health plan, which will focus on prevention, earlier diagnosis and treatment to reduce incidence of cardiac disease in Wales.

‘Together for health – a Cardiac Delivery Plan’ outlines how services will be improved across Wales. Circulatory disease is the largest cause of deaths in Wales, accounting for more than 10,000 deaths every year. Of these, 4,700 are from coronary heart disease.

Reducing the incidence of cardiac disease is a key commitment in the Welsh Government’s Programme for Government and its five-year plan for the NHS, ‘Together for Health’. Together for health – a Cardiac Delivery Plan aims to:

• Prevent cardiac disease through educating people about the importance of healthy lifestyles and to manage existing conditions with medication.
• Detect disease sooner through identify those at risk of avoidable cardiac disease, manage that risk effectively and detect cardiac disease where it occurs.
• Provide fast, effective treatment and care to improve long-term outcome for patients.
• Provide on-going support to help patients manage the impact of cardiac disease.

‘Together for Health – a Cardiac Delivery Plan’ is now subject to a 12-week consultation. The consultation closes on 26th October 2012.