BHVS Summit
We recognise there is representatives from all heart a large unmet need valve disease (HVD) stakeholders in the detection and including cardiologists, surgeons, timely intervention general practitioners, and of valvular heart disease across members of their affiliated the UK. The BHVS hosted a clinical summit in November 2024 at the Royal College Surgeons, London, inviting participants across the healthcare system, as a national call to improve the diagnosis and management of heart valve disease across the UK. The summit took an interdisciplinary approach inviting professional societies. Representatives from NHS-E, NICE and the British Heart Foundation were also present with the aim of starting a programme of work to deliver a long-term plan for heart valve disease in the UK to improve the quality of care.
It was a highly interactive meeting with structured discussions and workshops as well as informative presentations highlighting the current challenges faced within the NHS in managing valvular heart disease, the health inequalities and diversity within HVD including the regional variation in access to investigations and treatments. A key theme throughout the day was the role of heart valve clinics, both in the diagnosis and surveillance of HVD in secondary and tertiary care as well as community hubs. There were also several interactive workshops and discussions centred around establishing disease specific pathways within HVD.
Following the summit, the BHVS has produced a report that summarises discussions and recommendations agreed by the majority and we expect this to be published in the coming months. BHVS has also since established a role within the NHS-E Expert Advisory Group to create a programme, working to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with HVD and improve the quality of care by effective use of resources within the NHS.