Health and Care Research Wales and British Heart Foundation in major £3m joint funding deal for cardiovascular research

Health and Care Research Wales and British Heart Foundation (BHF) have announced a significant £3m agreement to support cardiovascular research in Wales through funding for the National Cardiovascular Research Network (NCRN).

The five-year agreement means that Welsh researchers will be able to investigate key areas of unmet health and care needs in people with heart conditions such as arrhythmias (irregular heartbeat), heart disease and vascular ageing.

The network, led by Swansea University and Cardiff Metropolitan University, will bring researchers, health professionals, patient representatives and others together to improve the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease in Wales and beyond. 

The agreement will see Welsh Government funding key researcher and leadership posts, with BHF funding additional research staff to help address under-representation of under-served communities in cardiovascular research. Its investment will also, support cross-disciplinary research bids, and access to data to support cardiovascular research.

Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, Jeremy Miles MS said: "This landmark £3 million partnership between Health and Care Research Wales and the British Heart Foundation represents a significant step forward in our fight against cardiovascular disease.

“By combining our expertise and resources, we're not just funding research – we're investing in the future health of people across Wales.”

Rhodri Thomas, Head of BHF Cymru said: “British Heart Foundation is incredibly excited to be part of this new co-fund agreement with Welsh Government which secures a sustainable future for Wales’ National Cardiovascular Research Network. This latest effort to empower cardiovascular research and innovation in Wales is particularly exciting to me, and of course my colleagues at BHF Cymru, and will help develop a platform for universities and health boards across Wales to come together under a shared mission.” 

Professor Chris George, Director of the National Cardiovascular Research Network, added: “This new alliance between Health and Care Research Wales and the BHF is so important. The commitment to fund the Network’s expansion shows real confidence in our vision for improving the lives of people with heart and circulatory disease.

“This award helps us put Wales’ population at the heart of everything we do, and will be the keystone for turning world-class research done in Wales today into the new treatments of tomorrow.”

Former financial services manager turned writer and creative facilitator, Leigh Manley, 47, from Cardiff, will also attend and speak at the event about his experiences after he suffered an unexpected cardiac event almost a decade ago which nearly claimed his life.

The self-confessed rugby fan, who is originally from Maesteg, had been working out in his local gym when he suddenly felt ‘as though someone had pulled the cable out of me’ and he collapsed, unconscious, midway through his treadmill exercise.

After being treated by paramedics he was subsequently diagnosed with arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy, a serious and life-threatening cardiac condition which causes scarring to the heart. Upon diagnosis he was immediately fitted with an ICD (implantable cardioverter defibrillator) device.

He said: “There is no cure for my disease, so treatment has focused on condition management via a combination of medicines, catheter ablation surgeries, and cardioversion (shock therapy). It’s not ideal because I am living with imperfect solutions to a complex condition, which is why research is so important to me – especially as there’s the added complication that the condition is likely genetic.

“Anything that can be done to advance research into cardiovascular conditions is so important – there’s still this misconception that only older adults suffer from illnesses of this nature, but it’s not the case, it can happen to people of all ages and from all walks of life.”

Health Secretary Jeremy Miles added: "The stories of people like Leigh Manley remind us why this investment is so crucial. Through this research, we aim to develop better treatments and improve outcomes for everyone affected by heart conditions in Wales."