News

Heart Valve Voice welcomes the announcement from NHS England regarding the creation of 40 Community Diagnostic Centres (CDC). Heart Valve Voice has advocated the delivery of these services since Professor Sir Mike Richards released his report, and are firm believers that they will improve cardiovascular services immeasurably.

Heart Valve Disease Awareness Week (13-19 September, 2021) aims to improve diagnosis, treatment and management of heart valve disease globally. This international initiative is led by the Valve Council of the Global Heart Hub, and includes heart valve disease charities from around the world.

This week, the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS) released the 2021 revisions to their clinical practice guidelines for the management of valvular heart disease.

Heart Valve Voice is delighted to announce the addition of three new members to our Board of Trustees. Professor, Simon Ray, Livvy Gosney and Phillip Read.

Since the inception of Heart Valve Voice, it has always been our intention to be a charity that promotes awareness of the condition, give a voice to those who have experienced it and improve the structures that determine the quality of care that patients in the UK receive. We have worked with policymakers throughout the past six years. Still, forming an All-Party Parliamentary Group for Heart Valve Disease was a watershed moment for heart valve disease patients in the UK. The report they have now published is a platform for policy change. 

The first week of June is Volunteers' Week across the country, an annual celebration of the contribution millions of people make across the UK through volunteering. The past 18 months have placed an extraordinary strain on the sector, but I have been overwhelmed to see how the country has come together to support charities that have struggled financially while the demand for their services has increased significantly.