About Us

The Cardio & Vascular Coalition (CVC) is an alliance of 41 voluntary organisations with an interest in promoting and protecting cardiac and vascular health in England .

The CVC is committed to working with and influencing central and local government, health and social care commissioners, service planners and policy makers to ensure that cardiac and vascular health is high on their agendas.

With the National Service Framework for Coronary Heart Disease coming to a close in 2009/2010, the CVC is campaigning for a new, comprehensive Cardiac & Vascular Health Strategy for 2010–2020. Given common risk factors, the CVC also wants to see prevention and service delivery links strengthened with other vascular and related conditions, including diabetes, stroke and kidney disease.

Founded in 2007, the majority of CVC members have a national focus on improving cardiac and vascular health in the UK . The interests of the CVC membership cover the breadth of cardiac and vascular conditions - heart disease, diabetes, stroke and kidney disease – from pre-birth to end of life care.

The CVC draws on expertise from across the voluntary and patient advocacy sectors, and from eminent medical, research and academic professionals.

Funded wholly by its members, CVC activities are developed and agreed by a Steering Group of representatives from member organisations who make decisions on behalf of the wider membership. The Chair of the CVC is Betty McBride, Policy and Communications Director of the British Heart Foundation.

A secretariat based at the British Heart Foundation is responsible for co-ordinating and managing Coalition activities as directed by the Steering Group.

The CVC also maintains specialised Working Groups  whose activities contribute towards the development of the Cardiac & Vascular Health Strategy 2010–2020

The five CVC Working Groups are:

- Department of Health

- Modelling burden of cardiovascular disease

- Inequalities

- Research

- Congenital heart disease

To find out more about those involved in the CVC, please see the Members and Priorities page.