The National Institute for Health and Care Research has announced a £50 million investment to support a new national research consortium dedicated to tackling inequalities in cardiovascular disease – one of the UK’s leading causes of death.
CVD is responsible for 26% of all UK deaths, with more than 170,000 fatalities annually. However, the burden is not felt equally. People from ethnic minority backgrounds, deprived communities, rural and coastal areas, and groups who often face barriers to healthcare experience significantly higher risk. Women also face persistent inequalities in diagnosis, treatment and outcomes.
The new NIHR Cardiovascular Disease Inequalities Challenge Consortium, delivered in partnership with the British Heart Foundation, aims to address these disparities through research, innovation and strengthened capacity building.
Nine universities have been selected to form the consortium, each working with wider networks of local authorities, NHS partners, charities, patient groups, and industry:
- University of Glasgow
- University of Leeds
- University of Surrey
- Swansea University
- University of Birmingham
- King’s College London
- University of Ulster
- Imperial College London
- University of Bristol
Together, they represent multidisciplinary partnerships with experience working with underserved communities, including travelling communities, young people, coastal populations, rural residents, and people with learning disabilities.
The consortium will focus on two of the most significant modifiable risk factors for CVD, which are undiagnosed or poorly managed high blood pressure, and high levels of LDL “bad” cholesterol.
The goal is to develop evidence‑based solutions to improve early detection and monitoring, helping prevent heart attacks, strokes and other life‑threatening complications. Improved detection alone could save thousands of lives each year.
The consortium will also address the persistent inequalities between men’s and women’s cardiovascular outcomes.
A major part of the investment will fund a new programme of career development opportunities, designed to build the next generation of CVD researchers. The consortium will develop training that equips researchers to work across:
- Clinical practice
- Community settings
- Public health
- Digital health
- Social care and local government
This is intended to create a skilled, diverse research workforce capable of driving long‑term system‑wide change.
Professor Lucy Chappell, NIHR Chief Executive Officer, said:
“Cardiovascular disease causes 170,000 deaths annually in the UK, with a large long-term disease burden on the NHS. But it can be preventable with the right early intervention. This investment from the NIHR is one of the most ambitious attempts to tackle the root cause of inequalities of one the biggest killers.
“Now in our 20th year, the NIHR continues to drive life-changing research that matters. From earlier diagnosis and prevention in the community, to better treatments and improved quality of care, NIHR is funding and delivering research that tackles the health and care needs of the nation.”
The initiative supports key ambitions in the government’s Health and Growth Mission, and the NHS 10‑Year Plan. Both strategies emphasise shifting from sickness to prevention, reducing deaths from major diseases, and improving population health so that everyone can live well for longer.
The first research projects will begin in autumn 2026, with teams working closely with partners in the life sciences industry, charity organisations, as well as local authorities and social enterprises.
Research approaches will include the use of:
- Wearable devices and digital health technologies
- Innovative public health messaging
- Behaviour‑change interventions
- Better diagnostic pathways
The consortium aims to produce a national plan for tackling inequalities in CVD, ensuring the research leads to real‑world improvements in detection, prevention and care.
Image credit: iStock
