Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his department has made an assessment of the economic impact of late-stage heart failure; and what steps his Department is taking to ensure people receive an early diagnosis.

No specific assessment has been made as to economic impact.

We have introduced community diagnostic centres, which will support primary care networks to help increase the volume of early diagnostic activity of conditions such as heart failure and heart valve disease and reduce patient waiting times. NHS England is also working with regions and networks to increase access to the Brain Natriuretic Peptide blood test, which will improve the early detection and optimum management of heart failure.

Additionally, a new pre-diagnosis breathlessness pathway has been developed to support the improved recognition and timely diagnosis of heart failure and heart valve disease.