CVD Prevention Team shortlisted for national General Practice Award
We're delighted to share that the CVD Prevention Team at NHS Surrey and Sussex has been shortlisted for the Clinical Improvement - Public Health and Prevention Award at this year's General Practice Awards. The awards celebrate people and teams across primary care who are going above and beyond to improve patient care.
Cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks and strokes, remains one of the biggest causes of early death and health inequality in England. One of the best ways to prevent it is through Lipid lowering therapy (LLT), offered to people identified as being at higher risk.
To improve LLT uptake, the team worked with all 156 GP practices across Sussex on a programme to identify more patients who could benefit from cholesterol-lowering treatment, and to support them in starting it.
This involved:
- using patient data to find people who hadn't yet been offered treatment
- funding and incentives for practices to prioritise this work
- training for GP teams on discussing treatment options with patients, so people could make informed decisions about their care
- hands-on support from clinical leads and project managers throughout
The impact:
Of 148 practices submitting data, 13,633 patients were offered therapy, and 5,482 initiated therapy.
Treatment rates rose significantly and, for patients aged 40-65, the team exceeded the national target - helping close the gap in care and improving Sussex's national ranking.
The approach shows how joined-up leadership, the right incentives, and investment in training can make a real difference to preventing heart disease and stroke, and it's a model that could be applied to other health priorities across the system.
The work has also been recognised at national level by NICE as a case study of good practice, and at the Primary Care Cardiovascular Society CVD Change Management Poster Competition (May 2026) as a highly commended entry
Dr Suneeta Kochhar, Clinical Director for Neighbourhood Health and Partnerships and Clinical Director of Clinical Priorities said:
"Managing your risk of Cardiovascular Disease can minimise developing symptoms or improve symptoms. Risk factors may be prevented or modified by earlier identification and management. Importantly this can help support you to live a longer healthier life."