The NHS Health Check programme, a core component of England's cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention programme, assesses the top risk factors for CVD, including raised cholesterol, in eligible people and refers them to further support through behavioural interventions, clinical assessment, and treatment where appropriate. For every 1.4 million NHS Health Checks delivered annually, 900,000 people are found to have raised cholesterol level. We are also developing the NHS Health Check Online to improve access and help more people understand and act on their risk factors.

Furthermore, NHS England is strengthening lipid management by improving identification of people at risk of CVD through risk assessment, case finding, and community-based initiatives, including pharmacy-led approaches and cholesterol point of care testing.

The Government recently published the Cardiovascular Disease Modern Service Framework, which sets out priorities for the health and care system to accelerate progress on the ambition to reduce premature deaths from heart disease and stroke by 25% within the next decade. Identifying people with high cholesterol and optimising lipid management for people with high cholesterol are amongst the priorities for the health and care system.

The Cardiovascular Disease Modern Service Framework (CVD MSF) is being finalised to ensure it reflects the strongest available evidence and is due to be published soon.

The CVD MSF will support consistent, high quality, and equitable care whilst fostering innovation across the cardiovascular disease pathway.

Emerging evidence from local services suggests Single Point of Access (SPoA) supports patients to receive rapid specialist assessments and a clear next step for their treatment by embedding a timely specialist clinical review at the start of the pathway, including for cardiology and cardiothoracic referrals. The model helps patients access the right clinic, diagnostic service, or care setting the first time, and averts the need for them to join lengthy hospital waiting lists unnecessarily, ensuring capacity is available for patients that need specialist care. We are also supporting the development and evaluation of streamlined referral pathways, including SPoA and rapid access valve assessment models, as part of wider cardiovascular pathway improvement work.

As set out in the Medium Term Planning Framework all providers are, from April 2026, expected to prioritise Advice and Guidance (A&G) requests for at least 10 specialties, selected locally for the greatest overall benefit, ahead of ensuring all appropriate requests and referrals flow through a SPoA model from October 2026. Providers are expected to begin implementation of SPoA by prioritising the 10 specialties selected for A&G. The specialties selected by providers could include cardiology or cardiothoracic surgery, which would cover care for heart valve disease.

Technical guidance has been issued to providers outlining expectations to support SPoA implementation. There are currently no specific plans to mandate SPoA in national service specifications. However, we are developing a new Cardiovascular Disease Modern Service Framework, due to be published shortly, which will support the adoption of evidence‑based pathway improvements.

Emerging evidence from local services suggests Single Point of Access (SPoA) supports patients to receive rapid specialist assessments and a clear next step for their treatment by embedding a timely specialist clinical review at the start of the pathway, including for cardiology and cardiothoracic referrals. The model helps patients access the right clinic, diagnostic service, or care setting the first time, and averts the need for them to join lengthy hospital waiting lists unnecessarily, ensuring capacity is available for patients that need specialist care. We are also supporting the development and evaluation of streamlined referral pathways, including SPoA and rapid access valve assessment models, as part of wider cardiovascular pathway improvement work.

As set out in the Medium Term Planning Framework all providers are, from April 2026, expected to prioritise Advice and Guidance (A&G) requests for at least 10 specialties, selected locally for the greatest overall benefit, ahead of ensuring all appropriate requests and referrals flow through a SPoA model from October 2026. Providers are expected to begin implementation of SPoA by prioritising the 10 specialties selected for A&G. The specialties selected by providers could include cardiology or cardiothoracic surgery, which would cover care for heart valve disease.

Technical guidance has been issued to providers outlining expectations to support SPoA implementation. There are currently no specific plans to mandate SPoA in national service specifications. However, we are developing a new Cardiovascular Disease Modern Service Framework, due to be published shortly, which will support the adoption of evidence‑based pathway improvements.

Emerging evidence from local services suggests Single Point of Access (SPoA) supports patients to receive rapid specialist assessments and a clear next step for their treatment by embedding a timely specialist clinical review at the start of the pathway, including for cardiology and cardiothoracic referrals. The model helps patients access the right clinic, diagnostic service, or care setting the first time, and averts the need for them to join lengthy hospital waiting lists unnecessarily, ensuring capacity is available for patients that need specialist care. We are also supporting the development and evaluation of streamlined referral pathways, including SPoA and rapid access valve assessment models, as part of wider cardiovascular pathway improvement work.

As set out in the Medium Term Planning Framework all providers are, from April 2026, expected to prioritise Advice and Guidance (A&G) requests for at least 10 specialties, selected locally for the greatest overall benefit, ahead of ensuring all appropriate requests and referrals flow through a SPoA model from October 2026. Providers are expected to begin implementation of SPoA by prioritising the 10 specialties selected for A&G. The specialties selected by providers could include cardiology or cardiothoracic surgery, which would cover care for heart valve disease.

Technical guidance has been issued to providers outlining expectations to support SPoA implementation. There are currently no specific plans to mandate SPoA in national service specifications. However, we are developing a new Cardiovascular Disease Modern Service Framework, due to be published shortly, which will support the adoption of evidence‑based pathway improvements.

The Government recognises the importance of raising awareness about the interconnectedness of conditions such as cardiovascular disease, obesity, and kidney disease amongst healthcare professionals and the public.

To tackle unwarranted variation, support consistent, high-quality care across the cardiovascular disease pathway, and to support the Government’s ambition to reduce premature deaths from heart disease and stroke by 25% within a decade, we will publish a new cardiovascular disease Modern Service Framework (CVD MSF) shortly. In developing the CVD MSF, we are reviewing evidence and engaging stakeholders on a range of pathway areas and risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

The NHS Health Check programme, a core component of England’s cardiovascular disease prevention programme, aims to detect people at risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and kidney disease in those aged between 40 and 74 years old. The programme plays a key role in raising awareness and assessing the top risk factors associated with these conditions and refers people for further support through behavioural interventions, for example weight management, clinical assessment, and treatment where appropriate.

The NHS Health Check Best Practice Guidance assists healthcare professionals to understand, identify, and manage cardiovascular disease risk factors alongside National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines, and how to communicate meaningful advice to patients following their health check.

The Government recognises the importance of raising awareness about the interconnectedness of conditions such as cardiovascular disease, obesity, and kidney disease amongst healthcare professionals and the public.

To tackle unwarranted variation, support consistent, high-quality care across the cardiovascular disease pathway, and to support the Government’s ambition to reduce premature deaths from heart disease and stroke by 25% within a decade, we will publish a new cardiovascular disease Modern Service Framework (CVD MSF) shortly. In developing the CVD MSF, we are reviewing evidence and engaging stakeholders on a range of pathway areas and risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

The NHS Health Check programme, a core component of England’s cardiovascular disease prevention programme, aims to detect people at risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and kidney disease in those aged between 40 and 74 years old. The programme plays a key role in raising awareness and assessing the top risk factors associated with these conditions and refers people for further support through behavioural interventions, for example weight management, clinical assessment, and treatment where appropriate.

The NHS Health Check Best Practice Guidance assists healthcare professionals to understand, identify, and manage cardiovascular disease risk factors alongside National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines, and how to communicate meaningful advice to patients following their health check.

The UK Clinical Research Delivery key performance indicators report brings together data to monitor the delivery of globally competitive clinical research across the United Kingdom.

The report includes several indicators relating to study set-up. Indicator 1 measures the time it takes for commercial interventional clinical trials to recruit their first participant from the date initial clinical trial authorisation is submitted.

The information requested is shown in the table below, as an unpublished subset of the statistics that were published on 15 April 2026 as part of the UK Clinical Research Delivery key performance indicators report, a copy of which is attached. The information is taken from studies held on the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Research Delivery Network’s Central Portfolio Management System.

The following table shows the average number of days taken for commercial interventional clinical trials to recruit their first participant from the date initial clinical trial authorisation is submitted, for each of the disease types:

Studies are included where the application was submitted between 1 April 2025 and 30 September 2025. These data were processed and assured by the NIHR in the same way as those provided to the Department for publication in April 2026 of 150-day set-up performance, using established data checking processes within the NIHR Research Delivery Network’s data and analytics and specialty teams.

The Department is committed to turbocharging clinical research and delivering better patient care, to make the UK a world-leading destination for clinical research. We are working to fast-track clinical trials to drive global investment into life sciences, improve health outcomes, and accelerate the development of medicines and therapies of the future, including for dementia, cancer, stroke, and coronary heart disease.

This information is not held centrally. Local clinical audits in accident and emergency departments are a matter for National Health Service trusts working with their NHS commissioners and as part of relevant improvement programmes.

The Government recognises the value of community-based and mobile diagnostic services in increasing access to preventative care and reducing inequalities in cardiovascular outcomes. That is why diagnostic services for patients with suspected and known cardiovascular disease (CVD) are supported across all community diagnostic centres (CDCs).

In 2025/26, over 600,000 physiological science and imaging tests for cardiovascular conditions were delivered through CDCs. To further enhance access for patients, the CDC Pathway Programme saw six cardiovascular pathways receive funding approval in 2025/26, with a further 11 approved for 2026/27.

Alongside this, the Cardiovascular Disease Modern Service Framework will be published in spring and will prioritise ambitious, evidence-led and clinically informed approaches to prevention, treatment and care. As part of its development, we are engaging widely to identify and consider the role of emerging innovations across the CVD pathway.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence published final technology appraisal guidance on the use of semaglutide for reducing the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events in people with cardiovascular disease and overweight or obesity on 7 May 2026.

The Government is committed to protecting those most vulnerable to COVID-19 through vaccination, as guided by the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The primary aim of the national COVID-19 vaccination programme remains the prevention of serious illness, resulting in hospitalisations and deaths, arising from COVID-19.

COVID-19 is now a relatively mild disease for most people, though it can still be unpleasant, with rates of hospitalisation and death from COVID-19 having reduced significantly since COVID-19 first emerged.

The focus of the JCVI advised programme is targeted vaccination of the two groups who continue to be at higher risk of serious disease, including mortality. These are older adults and individuals who are immunosuppressed.

The Government has accepted the JCVI’s advice for spring 2026 and in line with the advice, a COVID-19 vaccination is being offered to the following groups:

• adults aged 75 years old and over;

• residents in care homes for older adults; and

• individuals aged six months and over who are immunosuppressed, as defined in the COVID-19 chapter of the UK Health Security Agency Green Book.

The Government has also accepted the JCVI advice for autumn 2026 and in line with the advice, a COVID-19 vaccination will be offered to the same groups as in spring 2026.

The JCVI keeps all vaccination programmes under review.

The Government is committed to protecting those most vulnerable to COVID-19 through vaccination, as guided by the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The primary aim of the national COVID-19 vaccination programme remains the prevention of serious illness, resulting in hospitalisations and deaths, arising from COVID-19.

COVID-19 is now a relatively mild disease for most people, though it can still be unpleasant, with rates of hospitalisation and death from COVID-19 having reduced significantly since COVID-19 first emerged.

The focus of the JCVI advised programme is targeted vaccination of the two groups who continue to be at higher risk of serious disease, including mortality. These are older adults and individuals who are immunosuppressed.

The Government has accepted the JCVI’s advice for spring 2026 and in line with the advice, a COVID-19 vaccination is being offered to the following groups:

• adults aged 75 years old and over;

• residents in care homes for older adults; and

• individuals aged six months and over who are immunosuppressed, as defined in the COVID-19 chapter of the UK Health Security Agency Green Book.

The Government has also accepted the JCVI advice for autumn 2026 and in line with the advice, a COVID-19 vaccination will be offered to the same groups as in spring 2026.

The JCVI keeps all vaccination programmes under review.

The Department provided an update on the four recommendations made in the National Audit Office’s (NAO) report, Progress in preventing cardiovascular disease, earlier this year and this was published on the NAO’s recommendation tracker website at the end of March. Work is underway to review and take forward the recommendations.

Work is ongoing to improve access and engagement to the NHS Health Check, including the development of the NHS Health Check Online, which will allow people to undertake their NHS Health Check at home, at a time and place convenient to them. The NHS Health Check Online is currently being piloted in multiple local authorities, and the findings from the evaluation will inform decisions on whether further development is needed and if the online service should be rolled out across England.

The Government is committed to ensuring fewer lives are lost to the biggest killers, including cardiovascular disease (CVD), and the 10-Year Health Plan sets out our intention to publish a CVD Modern Service Framework (CVD MSF) in Spring. The CVD MSF will support consistent, high quality, and equitable care across the CVD pathway while fostering innovation, and will help to improve the detection and management of cardiovascular risk factors.

Progress towards 24/7 access to thrombectomy services continues to be made. To achieve full coverage, thrombectomy centres have received funding aligned with individual provider readiness and implementation plans to deliver extended hours and 24/7 provision.

The Government is committed to achieving a 25% reduction in premature mortality due to cardiovascular disease (CVD) and stroke across England. To accelerate progress and tackle variation across the country, a new CVD Modern Service Framework will be published in 2026. This framework will support improvement, reduce inequalities, and foster innovation where it is needed most.

The Government is actively deploying artificial intelligence (AI) technologies across the National Health Service to support the earlier detection and diagnosis of cardiovascular conditions. We are supporting the safe and effective adoption of AI tools such as AI-assisted echocardiography, automated electrocardiogram interpretation and digital stethoscope recordings. We are supporting this through robust regulatory and assurance processes, closely aligned to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s Evidence Standards Framework for Digital Health Technologies, ensuring that AI technologies are clinically validated and used to support, not replace, professional clinical judgement.