Our political engagement
More than 230,000 people are living with cardiovascular disease in Northern Ireland, and it causes nearly a quarter (24 per cent) of all deaths - an average of 12 people each day.
BHF Northern Ireland engages with Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) across all political parties to bring this significant impact to their attention and to ensure that the needs of people with cardiovascular disease are represented in Stormont.
The video below highlights the personal impact of cardiovascular disease on some of our MLAs.
Women and heart disease
We have been working closely with the Department of Health to ensure that heart disease is included as a key priority of the forthcoming Women’s Health Action Plan to improve awareness, diagnosis and treatment.
In 2024, we launched Bias and Biology to raise awareness of heart disease among women and to provide evidence-based recommendations to close the heart attack gender gap.
Reducing the burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs)
BHF NI also leads the NCD Alliance, which campaigns to reduce the burden of NCDs through government action on alcohol, tobacco, and products high in fat, salt and sugar.
Learn more about how the NCD Alliance is working towards their mission of improving population health by driving evidence-based, collaborative action to prevent NCDs.
Our achievements
Introducing “soft opt-out" organ donation
Since 2023, Northern Ireland has been operating a "soft opt-out" system for organ donation, known as Dáithí's Law.
BHF NI were proud to support Dáithí MacGabhann, his family and other campaigners. We took our collective campaign to Stormont and Westminster in order to achieve this lifesaving change to Northern Ireland’s organ donation laws.
Supporting the roll out of CPR education in schools
In March 2022, the teaching of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and awareness on automated external defibrillators (AEDs) became compulsory elements of Learning for Life and Work for pupils at Key Stage 3. This resulted from close collaboration with the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service and cross-party political engagement by BHF NI.
The change to the law applied from the 2022 to 2023 academic year. BHF NI have also been supporting the Department of Education and the Education Authority with the roll out of defibrillators to schools and the registration of all school defibrillators on The Circuit.
Healthcare system engagement
Miles Frost funding in Belfast
The Miles Frost Fund raised £1.5 million to help make genetic testing available to all families affected by the deadly heart condition hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The Inherited Cardiac Conditions Service in the Belfast Trust was the first in the UK to benefit from the funding.
We supported a nursing post for two years to ensure that more people receive the screening and treatment they need to prevent sudden death. Nearly 1000 new patients have undergone screening and treatment at the inherited cardiac conditions nurse led clinics since the commencement of Miles Frost funding.
We are delighted that Belfast Trust continues to fund the nursing post to support more patients undergoing testing for an inherited heart condition.
Heart failure service redesign
We were pleased to participate in efforts to better understand and enhance services for those living with heart failure in Northern Ireland. We are working alongside the cardiac network and all five health trusts to identify what best care for heart failure patients entails and where the gaps are.
We remain committed to advancing access to the highest standard of care for everyone affected by heart failure throughout Northern Ireland.
Cardiac rehab redesign
Working with the cardiac network and all five Trusts, we are focused on improving cardiac rehabilitation services across Northern Ireland.
To gain a clearer understanding of current service provision and patient experiences, we organised focus groups within each Trust. These discussions have provided valuable insights which will inform the next stages of our work, as we address service gaps and strive to ensure that all eligible individuals receive the best possible cardiac rehabilitation support.