| answer text |
<p>NHS England continues to work with its partners in raising awareness of aortic
stenosis, with a particular focus on women. NHS England is also working to increase
access to cardiac surgery. The breathlessness pathway, launched in April 2023, encourages
general practitioners to examine all patients for the signs of valvular heart disease.
Heart valve disease is a focus for cardiac networks, with pathways in in place to
improve early detection of valve disease in the community.</p><p>In November 2023,
a dedicated Heart Valve Disease (HVD) Expert Advisory Group was convened to provide
NHS England’s Cardiac Transformation Programme with leadership, advice, quality assurance,
expert review, and endorsement of the projects and deliverables that comprise the
HVD workstream, with a focus on improving the speed and equity of access to high quality
treatment for heart valve patients.</p><p>To improve the early detection and diagnosis
of heart valve disease across England, including aortic stenosis, £2.3 billion has
been committed to open 160 community diagnostic centres by March 2025. This will increase
the volume of diagnostic activity and further reduce patient waiting times. The centres
have delivered over 5 million additional tests since July 2021, including those that
detect cardiovascular disease.</p><p>In addition, the National Health Service is investing
in cardiac networks to support whole pathway improvements. These networks have been
developed to take an evidenced based, clinically led, whole pathway approach to improvement,
from prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and through to end-of-life care.</p>
|
|
