29 September 2022 is World Heart Day. Created and run by the World Heart Federation, World Heart Day aims to raise awareness of cardiovascular disease, risk factors and prevention and encourages people globally to take part in activities to take charge of their heart health.
The challenge posed by this year’s theme is for respiratory communities to work together to identify and close gaps in asthma care by sharing solutions; and we’re thrilled to be doing just that! We’re speaking to associates and partners across the healthcare workforce to discuss the challenges and potential solutions they face.
2022’s Core Focus
This year’s campaign encourages people to think differently. It focuses on three core elements, considering potential actions and potential end results of the action.
Three core elements:
1) Use heart for humanity – over 75% of CVD deaths occur in low to middle income countries where access to treatment and support can vary. By joining the campaign’s efforts, people can raise awareness and help benefit people globally.
2) Use heart for nature – air pollution contributes to 25% of all CVD deaths, approximately 7 million people per year. The campaign aims to remind people that everyone can contribute to a healthier planet in some way. Whether that be short-term actions such as walking rather than travelling by car, or long term efforts including supporting clean air legislation, everyone can have an impact.
3) Use heart for you – research shows that stress can increase the risk of heart attacks. Exercise, good quality sleep and other wellbeing focuses can help lower stress levels and improve heart health on an individual level.
Our free resources:
To support the campaign, we’ve created podcasts with partner organisations focusing on cardiovascular disease. Click below to listen and feel free to share links to these podcasts to help raise further awareness.
World Heart Day podcast series:
Diagnostic Tests – Preeti Minhas talks to Tom Ingram, Consultant Cardiologist and
Andrew Potter, General Practitioner with a special interest in echocardiograms.
Time: 20 minutes
Non-pharmacological management of CVD – Trish Phillips, Matron for Specialist Nursing Services
delivers a presentation on Non-pharmacological intervention
Time: 37 minutes
The burden of Heart Failure in the UK – Preeti Minhas talks to Louise Clayton (Alliance for Heart Failure) and Jim Moore (Alliance for Heart Failure)
Time: 20 minutes
Maximising opportunities to improve heart failure – Louise Clayton (Alliance for Heart Failure) and Jim Moore (Alliance for Heart Failure)
Time: 29 minutes
Get involved:
It takes 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity, five days a week, to improve and maintain health, including relieving stress and controlling weight gain, which are both factors for cardiovascular disease. With that in mind, this World Heart Day, people are encouraged to get involved by walking, running or biking a heart shape in their local area. Find out more about how to join the challenge via the World Heart Federation’s website.
Education and training:
We offer higher education courses accredited by the University of Hertfordshire, alongside CPD accredited bite sized training. Courses are designed for health and care professionals and range from short interactive refresher courses through to online postgraduate level modules.
Our full course portfolio can be viewed online. If you are looking for bespoke training opportunities for your team, then please contact our Partnerships Managers directly.
CVD Online Refresher – 1 Nov 2022 – taught by experienced clinical specialists, this short course is ideal for those who are currently supporting patients with conditions under the CVD umbrella, and are looking to update their knowledge and skills. This course will enable you to refresh your clinical practice and support you to implement quality improvement initiatives.
Essentials of CVD – 4 Nov 2022 – designed for practitioners who have recently begun to, or are preparing to support patients with conditions under the CVD umbrella. This may include newly qualified nursing staff, HCAs and HCSWs, social care staff, or experience healthcare professionals who have recently been redeployed in CVD.
Heart Failure Beyond the Basics – start date 23 Jan 2023 – this postgraduate level module is delivered by interactive blended online learning. Designed for healthcare professionals with a basic knowledge of pathophysiology and management of heart failure, the module explores the management of heart failure due to left ventricular systolic dysfunction, alongside other conditions which impact heart function including cor pulmonale.
Tackling the Complexity of Managing Heart Failure – start date 10 October 2022 – accredited by the University of Hertfordshire, this undergraduate degree level short course includes two pre-recorded lectures, a minimum of five live sessions and eLearning content. The course covers diagnosis, pharmacological and non-pharmacological disease management and strategic service development.