Enablers and barriers to whole system cardiovascular disease prevention

CVD accounts for one in four premature deaths and affects over 7 million people in the UK. And with growing adult obesity, combined with an ageing population, an additional 2 million people could be living with CVD by 2040. The case for improving prevention couldn’t be stronger.

Drawing on the experiences of three Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) – West Yorkshire, Birmingham and Solihull, and the Black Country – the publication highlights 7 enablers, supported by real-life examples of practice that others can learn from for their own systems.

The publication shows that strengthening cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention is as much about improving systems working as it is about clinical practice and treatment.

The briefing was developed following the System Improvement Support we provided to these three ICBs between September 2025 and February 2026. We delivered the programme in partnership with the NHS Alliance and were supported by Novartis.