§ 26. Mr. Spencerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the heart disease prevention campaign, "Look After Your Heart".
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§ Mrs. CurrieWe are planning, in association with the Health Education Authority, to launch the campaign on 22 April. The aim during the initial phase will be to increase public awareness about the main risk factors associated with coronary heart disease. The campaign will involve the support and co-operation of many sectors of society, including the National Health Service, industry and commerce, community and voluntary organisations, and the educational service. A particular feature will be community-based "healthy cities" programme which has already brought together health and local authorities in initiatives to promote heart disease prevention programmes, and will be developed further during the course of the campaign.
The national launch will be supported by a series of booklets on aspects of coronary heart disease. Six million copies have been printed for distribution direct to the public. A publication will give detailed statistics about the deaths and illness attributable to coronary heart disease and illustrate its financial consequences. Substantial coverage through the mass media, both nationally and locally, has been arranged for the early months of the campaign. An advertising campaign on television is planned for the autumn. The national campaign is intended to serve as a focus for the very many local initiatives already planned to draw the public's attention to the dangers of coronary heart disease and ways to avoid the main risks.
In the longer term the campaign's objective is to achieve a significant reduction in the very high rates of death from coronary heart disease.