Leading Liverpool health experts join forces with their London counterparts
Two of the UK’s largest, specialist hospitals are joining forces to become world leaders in heart research, significantly improving the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease for millions of patients.
Cardiovascular disease remains the most common cause of early deaths in the western world and is a growing and substantial problem in emerging and developing nations.
With the benefits of modern cardiac care, many more patients survive, but often live with distressing symptoms or other limitations.
On 22nd September, Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Foundation Trust, together with Imperial College London, are launching the Institute for Cardiovascular Medicine and Science.
The unique Institute will pool the expertise of cardiovascular clinicians together with international leaders in cardiovascular medicine to carry out ground breaking research. These will have a direct impact on how heart services develop in the future – improving outcomes for patients all over the world.
Dr Rod Stables, Consultant Cardiologist at Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital, explained: “This unique collaboration will allow us to share our considerable expertise and experience, not only in cardiovascular research but also in the immediate delivery of world class cardiac care. Patients and their families will be central to everything we do, not only in our research but with a role in its planning, analysis and development.”
The research will focus on four areas and be led by a clinician from Liverpool or London supported by an internationally renowned expert. The four areas are interventional cardiology (stent treatment and bypass surgery), arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms), heart failure, and surgery to the aorta (main blood vessel in the chest) and heart valves.
Dr Jay Wright, Consultant Cardiologist at Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital, added: “By attracting international leaders in the field of heart medicine, the Institute will also enable clinical staff to have access to education and training that is at the forefront of innovation in the delivery of cardiovascular care. The findings from the research programmes will enable us to improve our existing services and develop new services, benefiting patients and their families.”
Raj Jain, Chief Executive, added: “We are very proud to be launching the first Institute of its kind in Europe, and look forward to working to deliver better patient outcomes through advances in the diagnosis, management and treatment of cardiovascular disease. The underlying philosophy for the Institute is that it will be ‘academically led’ but ‘clinically driven’. It provides an exciting opportunity to bring together experts in cardiovascular medicine to head up our ambitions.”
Learn more about the Institue of Cardiovascualr Medicine and Sciences
