The National Institute for Health and Care Research has announced a major new £50 million funding opportunity to support innovative research into cardiovascular disease, with a focus on tackling health inequalities across the UK.
The Inequalities Challenge: Cardiovascular Disease initiative, supported by the British Heart Foundation, will fund high-impact research aimed at preventing heart disease, improving early detection, and reducing disparities in outcomes—particularly among ethnic minorities, deprived communities, and women.
CVD is responsible for 26% of all UK deaths—over 170,000 lives lost annually—and is a leading contributor to the life expectancy gap between the most and least deprived communities.
The five-year programme will bring together leading academic institutions, charities, patient groups, and the life sciences industry to:
- Improve early detection and management of hypertension and high cholesterol in high-risk groups
- Promote equitable, affordable self-management using digital health tools and wearables
- Develop innovative public health messaging to support sustained behaviour change and medication adherence
- Address the gender gap in CVD care, particularly in heart attack treatment for women
Lucy Chappell, CEO of the NIHR and Chief Scientific Adviser to the DHSC, said:
“Cardiovascular disease is one the UK’s biggest killers, with substantial health and care inequalities, and a large longer-term disease burden on the NHS. It can be significantly preventable if people have the right early intervention and support.
“NIHR is calling for the research community and supporting organisations to join us in making a step change in this crucial area and find innovative ways to tackle this challenge to drive life-changing research, tackling these inequalities for the health and wealth of our nation. This work will integrate the three reform shifts of the health mission – from treatment to prevention, hospital to community, analogue to digital, and will provide an opportunity to drive economic growth for the country and support economic activity for individuals.”
The initiative will also support the Core20PLUS population groups and younger people with multiple long-term conditions.
This is the second in a series of NIHR funding calls focused on inequalities, following the Maternity Disparities Consortium launched last year.
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