Private Members Bill

Cardiac Risk in the Young (Screening) Bill

Dari Taylor MP, Member of Parliament for Stockton South and Secretary of our Cardiac Risk in the Young All Party Parliamentary Group, decided that her Private Members Bill would be the 'Cardiac Risk in the Young (Screening) Bill'. The Bill aimed to significantly improve the availability of screening to those recognised as being the high-risk group - i.e. those young people (under 35) who had had a sudden young death in the family; or had a first degree relative diagnosed; or were having signs and symptoms themselves.

Although screening for first degree relatives after a young sudden cardiac death is officially advised, it seems that in reality this advice is not given clearly enough. There is also no 'chain of command' to ensure that someone takes responsibility for this information reaching those affected. Screening should also be available to those young people exhibiting signs and symptoms which - as so many families know at a terrible cost - are often either misdiagnosed or dismissed because the person is considered too young to have heart problems.

Dari's Private Members' Bill aimed to clarify that screening should be clearly made available, both to families who have suffered a tragedy, and to young people showing recognised signs and symptoms.

Ian Botham OBE - CRY Patron and Honorary President of the CRY Centre for Sports Cardiology - said:

"This is a great opportunity for real progress to be made in reducing the annual death toll of young lives lost unnecessarily to Sudden Death Syndrome. I would urge everyone to put pressure on their MP's to support this Cardiac Risk in the Young Screening Bill so that we can get legislation introduced to stop these terrible tragedies."

After debate in the House of Commons, Dari withdrew her bill when the Health Minister promised a new National Service Framework (NSF) chapter, which would include guidelines for tackling the issues surrounding young sudden cardiac deaths.

NSF Chapter 8 on Arrhythmias and Sudden Cardiac Death was published in March 2005. As promised, this chapter included guidelines specifically focussing on young people.

• To see media coverage of Dari Taylor MP's Bill click here
  
• To read more about the new NSF chapter click here

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