Cardiovascular disease (CVD) causes around 26 percent of all deaths across the UK. In a bid to challenge this statistic, exercise physiologist, Dr Simon Nichols, aims to transform the future of cardiovascular care after being selected to join the executive committee at the British Association for Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation (BACPR).

At the beginning of October 2018, Dr Simon Nichols took up the role of Scientific Officer with the BACPR where he will draw upon his own research to inform and develop national guidelines for health professionals in the UK working in cardiovascular care and rehabilitation. He has conducted extensive research into the link between the fitness levels of those with CVD and survival rates, reaching a conclusion that patients with higher fitness levels will live longer. Drawing on his expertise to collate evidence around cardiovascular care, Dr Nichols will play a key role in helping to drive improvements in the standard of care nationally; ensuring practitioners are delivering high-quality rehabilitation programmes.

Speaking in relation to his work, Dr Nichols said, "There a lot of programmes up and down the country that aren't delivering a basic standard of care and that's down to a lack of funding. In some areas of the UK, patients who've had a heart attack might be eligible for rehabilitation programmes but not if they've had angina. It's quite inconsistent and I'm really looking forward to playing my part in making change happen."

Sheffield Hallam University is a national leader in creating innovative and real-world solutions for tackling today's most significant health and wellbeing challenges. We are the largest provider of health and social care education in England, thus playing our part to help build the skilled workforce the NHS needs to deliver better long-term health outcomes for the nation.