Healthy Hearts project launches in Carmarthenshire

23 December 2022

A new project to assist individuals across Carmarthenshire to follow a healthier lifestyle has been launched this week.

The Healthy Hearts project will work collaboratively with the support from Primary Care, Community Nursing, Community Pharmacy, Dietetics, and Cardiology, along with Carmarthenshire County Council and Public Health Wales to prevent and reduce poor cardiovascular (heart) health.

The project has been funded for two years across the three Carmarthenshire Clusters covering the Amman Gwendraeth, Llanelli, and Tywi/Taf (2T’s) area.

This project will aim to help those with high blood pressure, obesity, raised cholesterol and other risk factors for heart disease. Carmarthenshire residents will be helped to reduce their risk of heart disease, heart attack and stroke, by being supported to stop smoking, eat healthily, exercise and reduce alcohol intake.

The project will work alongside and complement the pre-diabetes and lifestyle work, helping patients to stay well, lead healthier lifestyles and live independently for as long as possible.

Kerry Phillips, GP lead for Tywi/Taf cluster said: “Cardiovascular disease remains the second leading cause of death in Wales. Through various preventative work, we hope to achieve a direct impact on cardiovascular related hospital admissions, providing significant benefits in mortality and long-term illness.”

Jill Paterson, Director of Primary Care, Community and Long Term Care for Hywel Dda University Health Board, said: “Carmarthenshire’s Healthy Hearts project is an exciting and welcome addition to the services provided by our Primary Care teams.

“Through a range of lifestyle support services, Healthy Hearts will help to improve overall quality of life and general health outcomes for our patients in Carmarthenshire.”

Together we can beat heart disease. If you would benefit from this service, please contact the Education Programmes for Patients Team at 0300 303 8322 option 5 or email epp.hdd@wales.nhs.uk for more information on how to get involved.

The project team will be out and about in town centres and venues in Carmarthenshire offering free health checks for residents of Carmarthenshire and local information on how to improve your heart health using services local to you.