Black Country Integrated Care Board 

Impact of Quality and Outcomes Framework and NICE quality standards for cardiovascular disease for ethnic groups, and patients with chronic disease living in the Black Country

Cardiovascular disease (CVD), including heart disease and stroke, is the leading cause of preventable deaths in the UK. While early identification and treatment have reduced mortality, these advances have had limited impact in deprived areas and among ethnic minority groups. Addressing this is a CORE20PLUS5 priority.

The Black Country, an area of deprivation with a diverse population, has lower life expectancy and higher chronic illness rates. Over 20 years, we have conducted targeted cardiovascular research in this region. Data show that standard risk factors like high cholesterol are often absent in ethnic minority groups, making risk harder to detect in general practice.

Our proposal is to examine primary care data on cardiovascular prevention to assess whether ethnic minority groups and patients with chronic ill health have been disadvantaged. We aim to describe and characterise the risk factors responsible for cardiovascular disease in these groups and identify ways to reduce heart attacks and stroke.

We will analyse NHS data from death registries, hospital admissions and GP practices using the West Midlands Secure Data Environment. In the short term, we aim to improve detection. In the medium term, reduce health inequalities. In the long term, develop strategies to prevent disease, improve public health, and reduce healthcare costs.

Patient Benefits:
This project will improve representation of UK minority groups in research, identifying determinants of increased cardiovascular risk. Ethnic differences in CVD burden are evident, with heart attacks in South Asians and strokes in African Caribbean groups occurring at younger ages, often missed by standard prediction tools. The project aims to develop tailored detection approaches for ethnic minorities and patients with chronic ill health, reducing health inequalities in areas like the Black Country. Future work includes developing a CVD app for patient engagement and collaborating with Oxford University to enhance AI-driven prediction using multimodal EHR data. Our TRisk model enables nuanced risk prediction from longitudinal records, outperforming conventional methods.

NHS Benefits:
CVD is a clinical priority in the NHS Long Term Plan. Current national guidelines lack specific strategies for high-risk and ethnic minority groups. This project supports Core20PLUS5 goals, improves public health, reduces costs, and strengthens primary care, with potential for national and international replication.

19/05/2025

SDE106

West Midlands SDE trusted research environment

Not yet published.