Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what training is provided to NHS staff to highlight the differences in symptoms of a heart attack between men and women.

Guidance for National Health Service staff is available through the British Heart Foundation, and specific learning sessions are available to support training, with further information on both available, respectively, at the following two links:

https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/conditions/heart-attack/signs-and-symptoms-of-heart-attacks-in-women

https://www.chsselearning.org.uk/hearte/15-womens-health/

NHS England has been cognisant of gender differences when running public campaigns, and as such has ensured clear messaging on atypical symptoms in women. This has been represented through sharing patient stories within campaign material, highlighting the differences in gender symptoms. Further information on NHS England’s public campaign is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/2023/08/nhs-launches-lifesaving-campaign-to-help-people-spot-a-heart-attack/