An article in the European Heart Journal about our collaboration with Everton in the Community delivering free heart and lung checks at their BEAT Breathlessness Hub:

“Breathlessness is a debilitating symptom affecting 10% of the adult population, rising to 25% in those over 70 years.¹ Cardiopulmonary diseases account for the majority of the causes of breathlessness with COPD or HF implicated in more than two-thirds of causes, and both conditions can overlap in 35% of patients.² However, diagnostic delays are common, particularly in socio-economically deprived communities where access to community diagnostics and specialist services can be limited.³ This leads to delays in treatment, poorer outcomes (increased hospital admissions and mortality, poor quality or life) and higher healthcare costs.⁴

The Everton BEAT Breathlessness Project represents a novel collaboration between NHS healthcare providers, a Premier League football club’s charity (EitC), UK’s HF patient charity (The Pumping Marvellous Foundation—PMF), public health organizations and Liverpool City Council. Located in Liverpool, an area with high deprivation indices, the project uses the trusted brand of Everton Football Club to engage hard-to-reach populations. The project harnesses the impact and reach of a Premier League football club’s charity to provide accessible, community-based diagnostics in deprived areas.

Our pilot study in 2024 demonstrated the feasibility of community-based screening, identifying new HF in 3% and new diagnosis of COPD in 12% of attendees.⁵Building upon a successful pilot, the project has received funding from British Heart Foundation (BHF) Healthcare Implementation Fund to facilitate expansion and aims to scale to 1500 patients over 12 months, evaluating effectiveness, scalability and sustainability. This model aligns with National Health Service (NHS) priorities for early community diagnosis, health inequality reduction, preventive care, and digital adoption. We describe the project’s innovative approach, including symptom triage, point-of-care testing, AI-assisted echocardiography, and integrated care pathways. Funded by BHF, the current project focuses on early-stage scaling and health economic evaluation. In this paper, we outline the methods for implementation, evaluation, and dissemination, emphasizing integration with existing NHS pathways.”

Read the full study here.