15 November 2023

Cardiovascular disease is the largest modifiable risk factor contributing to the 13-year gap in life expectancy, from the most to the least deprived areas in south east London.  

A collaboration formed of Novartis, King’s Health Partners, and the South East London Integrated Care Board (SEL ICB), have been working to understand the highest rates of heart attacks and strokes from some of the most deprived areas. 

The collaboration worked with Thriving Stockwell, Stockwell being Primary Care Network, Stockwell Partnership, Lambeth Council, Lambeth Together to run focus groups to gain a deeper understanding of the needs and barriers to people at the highest risk. The partners co-created a series of solutions which helped support engagement and empowerment of individuals to reduce their risk of a future heart attack or stroke. 

More than 300 people joined Thriving Stockwell’s Health and wellbeing book, launch on 26 October, which also included healthy versions food from local recipes, blood pressure checks, heart age cards, and activities for children.  

Workshops to continue the community work will see groups of 20 people meet for four sessions, once per week for a month to improve understanding of heart health and personally set goals to reduce their heart age.  

These have all been co-created with the community and the collaboration partners and we are looking forward to demonstrating the impact to the health and social care system to enable more of these interventions to happen across south east London.