Leeds led cardiovascular collaborative awarded place on NIHR challenge consortium

The new Cardiovascular TransPennine Collaborative, has been awarded a place on the NIHR Cardiovascular Disease Inequalities Challenge Consortium, in partnership with the British Heart Foundation

The UK-wide consortium of nine university-led groups includes the Cardiovascular TransPennine Collaborative together with other universities and research institutes, charities, social enterprise organisations, local councils, NHS trusts and industry, to ensure system-wide change can be delivered.

NIHR is investing £50 million into supporting ground-breaking new research into tackling inequalities in cardiovascular disease (CVD). CVD contributes to a quarter of all deaths in the UK (26%), with more than 170,000 deaths annually. But it does not affect everyone equally with higher risk groups including ethnic minority communities and people living in deprived communities.

The challenge consortium will focus on tackling inequalities in these higher risk groups. It also seeks to address inequalities in CVD outcomes between women and men.

Together they will generate evidence and innovative solutions that deliver improved detection and monitoring of undiagnosed or poorly managed hypertension and high levels of bad cholesterol (hypercholesterolemia). They aim to save thousands of lives and reduce inequalities.

The national consortium will also have a major focus on developing research capacity to help shift the dial on CVD. They will work together to develop an innovative and diverse programme of career development opportunities to inspire, develop and support the next generation of researchers. This equips them with the right skills and expertise to work across clinical practice and research sectors.

The announcement is among NIHR’s responses to delivering the government’s health and growth mission and NHS 10-year plan. This aims for fewer lives lost to the biggest killers, with the shift from sickness to prevention to move towards a fairer Britain where everyone lives well for longer.

The Cardiovascular TransPennine Collaborative is led by the University of Leeds, in partnership with Newcastle University, University of Liverpool, Leeds Beckett University and the Northern Health Science Alliance. The other lead universities in the national consortium are:

• University of Glasgow

• University of Surrey

• Swansea University

• University of Birmingham

• King's College London-University of Nottingham

• University of Ulster

• Imperial College London

• University of Bristol
   

Hannah Davies, Chief Executive of the Northern Health Science Alliance, said: "The new Cardiovascular TransPennine Collaborative aims to reduce deaths from heart attacks and strokes by tackling major inequalities in cardiovascular disease across the UK, particularly in the North of England, where risk factors like high blood pressure and cholesterol are often missed or untreated in disadvantaged and under‑represented groups

"We are delighted that the TransPennine Collaborative brought together by the Northern Health Science Alliance and led by the University of Leeds has been successful in being selected as part of the NIHR Cardiovascular Disease Inequalities Challenge Consortium.

“We know that the North of England has some of the highest rates of cardiovascular disease in the country and as part of this national consortium we have the opportunity to be on the ground, tackling the stark and persistent inequalities that require coordinated national action. This consortium represents a shared commitment to move from treating sickness to preventing it - improving early detection and management of hypertension and high cholesterol, embracing digital innovation, and working with communities and patients who have historically been underserved.”