A HEALTH campaigner has called on the Government to tackle heart disease. David Hicks, of Elton, was one of almost 100 heart patients, carers and medics who targeted the Houses of Parliament last week to demand a renewed commitment from all political parties to tackle heart and circulatory disease during the next decade. David met Ellesmere Port and Neston Labour MP Andrew Miller to ask for his support for a planned and published approach to protect the heart health of the nation. The calls are backed by a 150,000 signature petition from people calling for a new heart plan (1). David, who had a quadruple artery bypass operation in 2007, said: “Coping with a heart condition has changed my life in so many ways. This has given me the chance to meet with my MP and tell him my concerns and fears as a heart patient.” Among the proposals the British Heart Foundation (BHF) is calling for: A clear target to reduce heart and circulatory disease in England to one of the lowest in Western Europe by 2020. A single front of pack food labelling scheme to enable shoppers to make healthy food choices easily. Cardiac rehabilitation for every patient who is suitable and wishes to take part in this life saving treatment. BHF chief executive Peter Hollins said: “There has been tremendous progress over the last ten years – but heart disease is responsible for a third of all deaths in the UK. “We need to go further and faster to beat this. “Patients still don’t receive life saving treatments like cardiac rehabilitation – if this were a pill it would have been on the NHS years ago. “Heart and circulatory disease remains disproportionately high amongst people living in disadvantaged communities. “We need a Government that is willing to tackle the UK’s biggest killer head on with a new heart plan to ensure patients are given the heart health care they deserve.” | 
Article
