Our Strategy

The British Heart Foundation (BHF) is the nation's heart charity. Our work in the years ahead will save thousands more lives. But if we are to succeed in beating heart disease, it's vital that everyone is aware of our objectives - and how we are working to achieve them.

 

Our mission is...

...to play a leading role in the fight against disease of the heart and circulation so that it is no longer a major cause of disability and premature death.

Our vision is ...

...of a world in which people do not die prematurely of heart disease.

Our objectives are...

 

Pioneer research into the causes of heart disease and improved methods of prevention, diagnosis and treatment

We will do this by

 

•  focusing our research funding effectively
•  identifying new areas of relevant science
•  attracting the best researchers in the UK, and from abroad
•  providing them with the funding, equipment and facilities to achieve the best results
•  concentrating funding on centres of excellence.

 

 

 

 

Provide vital information to help people reduce their own heart health risk

We’ll do this by

 

•  piloting services that help people identify their personal risk of cardiovascular disease
•  emphasising the importance of a heart healthy lifestyle through national social marketing campaigns
•  increasing public involvement in heart health
•  working with Government Health Departments to encourage smoking cessation and combat rising obesity
•  leading the European Heart Network’s lobbying for compulsory front of pack labelling for fats, salt and sugar
•  working with staff and sector specialists in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to develop programmes for their specific needs.

 

 

 

Press for Government policies which minimise the risk of developing heart and circulatory disease

We will do this by

 

• lobbying with partner organisations
• working in partnership with charities, the Department of Health and Government
• identifying opportunities to influence the Government agenda on emerging issues such as the role of charities in providing services in the NHS.

 

 

Help to attain the highest possible standards of care and support for heart patients

We will do this by

 

 

• equipping patients and carers to maximise patient heart health and quality of life
• increasing resuscitation capacity, to help maximise heart attack survival
• responding to, and representing, the needs of patients and carers
• helping patients and carers to be effective in developing heart health services
• investing in health care professionals to improve heart patients’ quality of life
• helping develop other organisations to build capacity in prevention and care
• promoting better training and accreditation for heart health care professionals
• training and supporting more specialist BHF Heart Nurses.

 

 

Reduce the inequalities in the levels of heart disease across the UK

We will do this by

 

 

• focusing on communities and locations where the problem is most  severe, typically those which are socially and economically deprived, and on specific high-risk ethnic groups.

 

To find out more about where we're going and how we'll we get there, please download a copy of our booklet 'Beating Heart Disese Together, Our Strategy'

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