Improving outcomes for people living with heart failure remains a major priority for the NHS.

Heart failure is a complex, long-term condition, affecting approximately 920,000 people in the UK, with 200,000 new cases diagnosed each year. Despite 40% of patients experiencing symptoms that could have prompted earlier assessment in primary care, 80% of heart failure cases are currently identified and diagnosed following an emergency admission to the hospital, resulting in poorer patient outcomes and increased pressure on hospital services.

Across the NHS, heart failure accounts for approximately 100,000 admissions and around one million inpatient bed days each year. As the burden of heart failure grows and health inequalities widen, improving early detection and community-based treatment is becoming increasingly important.

Our national heart failure programme aims to support the early identification of heart failure in primary care, reduce the number of hospital admissions and improve the quality and quantity of life for people living with heart failure.

This will be achieved by supporting pathway transformation and clinical service redesign using innovative diagnostic tools, pharmacological interventions and remote monitoring solutions.

To support local systems in transforming heart failure care, we have launched two practical guides focused on pathway redesign and quality improvement.

A growing challenge and an opportunity to do better

Too often, diagnosis happens in hospital rather than in the community despite clear opportunities for earlier intervention. This has a significant impact on outcomes, including higher mortality and increased pressure on urgent and emergency care.

At the same time, there is a growing opportunity. Advances in diagnostics, treatment and digital tools mean that, with the right pathway in place, we can detect heart failure earlier, treat it more effectively and support people to live well for longer.

Introducing the new guides

To help systems respond to this challenge, the Health Innovation Network has developed two complementary resources.

The Heart Failure Blueprint for Healthcare Professionals sets out a clear, end-to-end pathway across seven stages from case finding and diagnosis through to long-term management and palliative care. It brings together evidence, insights and real-world examples to help teams understand what good looks like and where improvements can be made.

Alongside this, the Quality Improvement How-To Guide provides a structured approach to delivering change. Based on an eight-step improvement model, it supports teams to build a case for change, engage stakeholders, design solutions and embed sustainable improvements.

Together, these guides provide both the vision and the practical steps needed to transform services.

Supporting local systems to act

We recognise that every system is different. These guides are not intended to be prescriptive, but rather to offer a flexible framework that can be adapted to local needs, priorities and population health challenges.

They are designed to support multidisciplinary teams across the pathway from primary care to specialist services to work collaboratively, use data effectively and focus on what matters most: improving patient outcomes and experience.

From ambition to action

Our ambition is to reduce the burden of heart failure on patients, families and the NHS by supporting earlier diagnosis, better treatment and more co-ordinated care.

These guides are a key step towards that goal, providing a practical ‘playbook' to help systems move from ambition to action.

We encourage teams across the country to explore the guides, use them to spark conversations and take forward the changes that will make the greatest difference locally.

Get started

The guides are now available to download and use from our website. Whether you are just starting to review your pathway or looking to accelerate existing improvement work, we hope these resources will support you in delivering meaningful, lasting change.

Download the guides now: https://thehealthinnovationnetwork.co.uk/programmes/cardiovascular-renal-metabolic-disease/heart-failure/