Health minister praises Bromley's life saving scheme

30 January 2009

Health minister Lord Darzi yesterday endorsed a new community-based vascular disease prevention programme that was trialled in Bromley and is now being delivered in a growing number of health authorities across the country. Speaking at the launch of Westminster Primary Care Trust’s Healthy Hearts and Minds disease prevention strategy which includes Bromley’s MyAction community health programme Lord Darzi said,

“This strategy…sets a gold standard for the prevention of heart disease and stroke which kill 170,000 people every year and affects the lives of four million people. Most importantly it targets deprived communities that suffer …the scourge of cardiovascular disease.”

The MyAction programme started at the Spa at Beckenham leisure centre in Bromley in 2007 as a partnership between local leisure trust Mytime, Bromley Primary Care Trust and Imperial College (London). MyAction now treats hundreds of local people in the Beckenham leisure centre under expert medical supervision and support to make lifestyle changes that will reduce their chances of becoming ill. This includes helping people make healthier food choices, encouraging them to become more physically active and providing the support they need to quit smoking.

Professor David Wood, Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine, of Imperial College said, “This is a marvellous opportunity to extend the positive results we achieved at the Spa in Bromley and we are now looking forward to bringing similar health benefits to Westminster and other parts of the country. MyAction is a family-based programme which is much more effective than treating the patient in isolation, and we have achieved measurable improvements to the health of hundreds of Bromley’s residents who were formerly at risk of cardiovascular disease. Feedback from patients treated at the Spa in Beckenham has been very positive and we believe MyAction can save thousands of lives all over the country and also reduce hospital costs.”

Steve Price, Chief Executive of Bromley Mytime said, “The links between exercise and a healthy lifestyle are well known and I’m delighted the good practice we’ve built up at the Spa is now being extended to Westminster and other health authorities around the country. Patients enjoy the friendly community setting we provide, and are enabled to take responsibility for adopting a healthier lifestyle as a result. I would urge other leisure centre managers to work closely with their health authority to bring similar benefits for their residents. “

For more information, go to the (external link)MyAction website