Targeting cholesterol to prevent cardiovascular disease – Lipid Optimisation across the South West
Health Innovation South West, in collaboration with a multi-organisation county team, designed and delivered an innovative lipid management programme across the Peninsula to improve cholesterol management, enhance primary care pathways and expand specialist capacity for treating high-risk cardiovascular disease (CVD) patients.
Impact
- 1,500 high risk patients identified by Devon PCNs in the lipid management programme between October 2024 and May 2025. 435 consultations with this cohort of patients have taken place across all sites.
- Improved knowledge and confidence among primary care staff to identify, treat and manage patients’ lipids.
- Improved collaboration and co-ordination between primary and secondary care.
- High deprivation areas. In rural and coastal areas, efforts have targeted those with highest CVD risk, ensuring equitable access.
- Sustained evaluation and impact demonstration capabilities integrated into the Somerset Lipid Service and increased target lipid management support in primary care through project management and administration capacity, building support provision and provision of lipid practitioner roles.
- Delivery of high-profile CVD charity HEART UK Roadshow benefitting 50 health and social care staff in Cornwall and Isles of Scilly.
Project summary
The Lipid Optimisation programme supports improved CVD prevention by improving cholesterol management in high-risk patients.
- Provision of bespoke support to target sites across Devon equips primary care with the confidence, knowledge and tools to proactively identify and treat patients, reducing pressure on secondary care services. The increased number of patients receiving effective primary care treatment reduces future CVD presentation and hospital admissions.
- Capacity and capability building of the Somerset Lipid Service following support for the service re-design:
- The workforce has improved understanding of lipid management, more confidence managing patients with lipid disorders, and feel better able to implement the lipid management pathway.
- Increased identification and treatment initiation and optimisation of people at risk of CVD or with pre-existing CVD.
- Reduced lipid clinic waiting times.
- Supporting the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly ICB to deliver the high impact HEART UK Roadshow to 50 health care professionals from primary and secondary care to improve the Cornish population’s cardiovascular health by:
- Increasing understanding of the national and local CVD priorities.
- Increasing knowledge and confidence to manage and optimise patients using a CVD wide approach based on the most up to date guidance and best practice.
- Increasing awareness of community intervention for lifestyle change.
Rationale
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) causes a quarter of all deaths in England and is the leading cause of early death in deprived areas. In Somerset alone, over 82,000 people live with circulatory diseases, including 23,000 with coronary heart disease and 14,000 stroke survivors, with heart disease responsible for more than one in four deaths. Despite this, detection and treatment remain low and secondary care capacity limited with lipid clinic waiting times exceeding 79 weeks for some patients.
Some CVD patients have high cholesterol levels raising the risk of heart attack or stroke. By optimising cholesterol levels through medications and lifestyle, this risk is significantly reduced.
Key stakeholders
- Health Innovation South West led coordination, evaluation and resource development, education programme design and supported service redesign in Somerset.
- Integrated Care Boards and Lipid Service Leads provided clinical leadership, data analysis and improved delivery of patient care.
- Public Health and patients helped target areas of greatest need and co-designed with a patient-centred approach in mind.
Next steps
- Devon Lipids project evaluation completed to identify sustained outcomes and improvements.
- Share good practice case studies and lessons learned to inform wider adoption.
- Use the extensive learning from this work on continuing multiple long-term conditions (mLTC) and the local delivery of the national Heart Failure Programme.
