A cross-party group of MPs has launched a landmark report calling for sweeping reforms to vascular care in England, warning that thousands of people are losing limbs every year due to preventable failures in the health system.
The Vascular and Venous Disease All-Party Parliamentary Group (VVAPPG) published its report, Making the Case for Reform in the Vascular Sector, on Tuesday, setting out a detailed roadmap to transform how lower-limb conditions are diagnosed and treated across the country.
The report was produced over six months in partnership with the Association of British HealthTech Industries (ABHI), the Royal College of Podiatry and experts from across the vascular community.
It warns that outcomes for patients with peripheral arterial disease, venous disease and diabetes-related foot complications have failed to keep pace with improvements seen in stroke and cardiac care.
Delayed diagnosis, inconsistent referral pathways and unequal access to specialist services are blamed for thousands of avoidable amputations each year, with the report concluding that the current situation represents a serious and ongoing failure for patients.
At the heart of the proposals is a shift towards a prevention-led, community-based model of care.
The report calls for dedicated multidisciplinary Foot Protection Services to be established within every Integrated Care System in England, with the aim of catching problems earlier and reducing the number of patients whose conditions deteriorate to the point of requiring surgery.
The report was welcomed by Kathleen Van Vlierberghe, vice president, Peripheral Interventions division, Boston Scientific EMEA.
Vlierberghe told Health Tech World: “This White Paper highlights the ongoing impact of vascular disease on people and on the NHS, while also pointing to the progress that is possible.
“Evidence‑based standards and community approaches are already making a difference in some areas, and the 10 Year Health Plan presents an opportunity to build on this momentum.
“Supporting timely access to care, greater transparency of outcomes and wider availability of foot protection services could help improve patient outcomes and ease pressure on the NHS.”
Among the five priority actions outlined is the introduction of a National Foot Attack Pathway, backed by a public awareness campaign and mandatory same-day or next-day triage standards for those presenting with acute symptoms.
The report also calls for national maximum waiting times for vascular assessment and revascularisation, transparent reporting on outcomes and reforms to NHS commissioning that would reward faster diagnosis and fewer amputations rather than activity volumes.
The group is additionally urging the government to accelerate the rollout of proven technologies through mechanisms such as the NHS Innovator Passport.
Jim Shannon MP, Chair of the VVAPPG, said the report reflected widespread recognition across the vascular community that the status quo was no longer acceptable.
He added: “My hope is that this report will act as a catalyst for that change.
“By working together across Parliament, the health service and the wider sector, we can ensure that fewer people face the devastating consequences of avoidable lower-limb amputation and that patients receive the timely, high-quality care they deserve.”
