PRESS RELEASE : Government and NHS to help tackle killer heart condition [September 2023]

• Aortic dissection takes the lives of 2,000 people a year in Britain
• Government and NHS England to look at ways to tackle condition
• Health Secretary pledges to build on strong work already being done

Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Steve Barclay, has unveiled measures to tackle aortic dissection, a life-threatening heart condition that kills 2,000 people every year.

Speaking at a research event to mark Aortic Dissection Awareness Day, the Health Secretary announced the formation of an NHS working group that will bring together clinical experts and charities, to improve diagnosis and treatment of the condition.

The group will review the whole patient experience when it comes to aortic dissections, and pinpoint opportunities for future improvement, including the potential benefits of genetic testing.

Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Steve Barclay said:

Aortic dissection can be a devastating condition and every year it takes the lives of more people than die on our roads, yet awareness is low. Changing that will save lives.

Developing a holistic approach, from identifying those potentially at risk to providing first class follow-up care, will be life-changing for patients and I’m delighted to be able to build on the good work we’re already doing in this area.

I also want to pay tribute to the tireless work of my colleague Pauline Latham whose campaigning to improve aortic dissection care has kept this issue on the agenda.

The Health Secretary has asked for the working group to report back with options within six months, and aortic dissection charities will input into the work.

Pauline Latham MP, who tragically lost her son to an undiagnosed aortic dissection in 2018, has been a leading voice in campaigning to improve the lives of sufferers and their families, and met with the Secretary of State earlier this year to discuss ways to improve aortic dissection care.

Pauline Latham MP said:

In the wake of losing my son Ben to a missed diagnosis of aortic dissection, I couldn’t sit back and let other families suffer the way we have. That’s why Graham Cooper, Catherine Fowler and I started The Aortic Dissection Charitable Trust.

We’ve been pushing hard – asking tough questions in Parliament, meeting with health ministers, and I’m thrilled to say, we have NHS England and the Department for Health and Social Care on board.

This will bring in standardised care, genetic screening, and specialised nurses to not only save lives but improve quality of life for everyone affected by this condition. It’s our heartfelt mission to turn tragedy into a safer future for all.

The announcement builds on the progress made on aortic dissection in recent years. NHS England adjusted 111 and 999’s triage systems to better recognise chest pains caused by aortic dissections and is rolling out the Aortic Dissection Acute Toolkit across the regions to speed up diagnosis and improve patient outcomes, while The Royal College of Emergency Medicine has also published a best-practice guide to improve diagnosis in emergency departments.

The Department of Health and Social Care is also funding dedicated research into aortic dissection through the National Institute for Health and Care Research, as part of an annual £50 million investment in cardiovascular disease research.

Researchers are developing a tool to help people at genetic risk of aortic dissection decide if they want screening and, if necessary, preventative treatment and this is just one of the many exciting research projects under way across the country.

Background information

The remit of the working group will be to:

• continue to monitor and support the implementation of the acute Aortic Dissection toolkit which has already been produced by NHS England and is currently being rolled out to NHS providers
• review the whole aortic dissection patient pathway and identify areas for improvement including the elective pathway
• explore the evidence and options for genetic screening including potential cohorts for screening
• scope the clinical skills and workforce requirements to support aortic dissection pathway improvement