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We are delighted to announce that West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership’s Healthy Hearts project has been shortlisted for the Cardiovascular Care Initiative of the Year category at the HSJ Value Awards 2020, recognising their outstanding dedication to making things better in the NHS.

The initiative commissioned by West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership and delivered by Yorkshire and Humber AHSN is supporting GP practices and healthcare professionals to reduce the incidence of cardiovascular disease across West Yorkshire and Harrogate (Bradford district and Craven; Calderdale, Harrogate, Kirklees, Leeds and Wakefield).

The judging panel comprised a diverse range of highly regarded figures across the NHS and wider healthcare sector. To be shortlisted as a finalist for these awards, despite tough competition from hundreds of brilliant applicants, is a mark of real achievement for West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership, Yorkshire and Humber AHSN and partners. The West Yorkshire and Harrogate Healthy Hearts initiative has been selected based on the positive impact that the project has had within their wider organisation.

West Yorkshire and Harrogate Healthy Hearts is a three-year project that aims to reduce the number of people affected by heart disease including strokes and heart attacks across West Yorkshire and Harrogate by 10% by 2021, meaning 1,100 fewer cardiovascular disease events. And it focuses on three specific risk factors including blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes.

In West Yorkshire and Harrogate alone, more than 600,000 people are affected by high blood pressure (hypertension) – a leading cause of heart disease and stroke – whilst over 60,000 people have an irregular heartbeat (atrial fibrillation) and more than 49,000 people have experienced a stroke or mini-stroke (TIA).

The first phase of the project aims to identify people who may have high blood pressure who are not yet diagnosed, and those who need to better control their hypertension to a safe target below 140/90. From Jan 2019 to Jan 2020 more than 7,500 new people were added to the hypertension register. This means they are more closely monitored. There was also an increase in the number of people, nearly 8,000, who now have their hypertension better controlled to safe limits. Importantly this could help prevent 65 deaths, 122 strokes and 82 heart attacks over the next five years.

Dr Youssef Beaini, a GP and Clinical Lead for the initiative, comments, “We are delighted to have been shortlisted for the Cardiovascular Care Initiative of the Year category, recognising the collaborative efforts and dedication of our partners over the last 12 months to successfully implement the West Yorkshire and Harrogate Healthy Hearts project. We are committed to delivering improved outcomes for patients and the wider organisation, and to be chosen among the other incredible nominees is a wonderful achievement”.

Rob Webster, Lead Chief Executive for West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership said: ‘This is a positive example of the difference that our Partnership is making. The results so far across our area shows that sharing good practice and working together across the area really does save more people’s lives. Being recognised in this way is a real bonus for all of those involved”.

HSJ editor Alastair McLellan comments: “We would like to congratulate West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership, Yorkshire and Humber AHSN and partners on being nominated in the category of Cardiovascular Care Initiative of the Year ahead of HSJ Value Awards 2020. We are looking forward to welcoming them to the ceremony in May, to join us in recognising the very best NHS teams and projects in the healthcare sector. This year’s finalists are of an outstanding calibre and all of them are exceptionally dedicated to enhancing healthcare across the UK.”

The winners will be selected following a rigorous, “live panel” judging stage ahead of the HSJ Value Awards 2020 awards ceremony. Held at Manchester Central on 21 May 2020, the evening will provide a great opportunity for influential figures to unite and celebrate the achievements of their industry peers. The awards evening is expected to be attended by leaders and professionals from within the NHS.