CRY in Parliament - archives

This section of the website is a repository for older articles detailing CRY's efforts to engage with government and parliamentarians; and to raise awareness in Westminster of young sudden cardiac death.

Hansard - Responses to Queen's Speech - 7th November 2007
Kevan Jones (North Durham): I want to discuss two issues that were omitted from the Queen’s Speech. When the hon. Member for North-West Norfolk (Mr. Bellingham) raised the issue of a coroners Bill, I was not pleased by the Lord Chancellor’s response. The Lord Chancellor implied that only the hon. Member for North-West Norfolk wants such a Bill, but many Labour Members want to see its introduction. The Bill exists in draft form, and it is long overdue, because we need to bring up to date the archaic coroner system in this country. The draft Bill followed an excellent report by the Constitutional Affairs Committee, which we debated earlier this year in Westminster Hall. The Bill would provide an opportunity not only to bring the coroner service up to date, but to tackle some issues that affect our constituents. I chair the all-party group on cardiac risk in the young, and the charity Cardiac Risk in the Young is anxious to see the introduction of the coroners Bill. One issue is the need to introduce a system to ensure that when young people suddenly die of cardiac failure it is properly investigated and the statistics, which can influence the debate, are kept. At the moment, the problem is that the sudden deaths of young people are investigated differently in different jurisdictions. Such cases are, for example, sometimes put down to drowning. In areas in which coroners are proactive, there is not only support for families, but the death is registered as a cardiac death. That is important because CRY estimates that eight young people a week die of sudden cardiac failure, and only a coroner system where such information can be held centrally will allow us to argue the necessary case for screening in the health service for young people who do sports. I hope that there is time during the Session to introduce a coroners Bill because I and many others would welcome it.

Tim Loughton, MP for East Worthing and Shoreham

"That this House congratulates Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) on investing £300,000 to fund the setting up of a research centre for expert cardiac pathology at the National Heart and Lung Royal Brompton Hospital, including funding to facilitate the system of coroners' young sudden cardiac death fast track referrals to this expert centre; further congratulates CRY on its work to raise awareness of the second anniversary of the new Chapter 8 in the National Service Framework on Arrhythmias and Sudden Cardiac Death published on 4th March 2005, which aims to reduce the rate of eight cardiac-related deaths of fit and healthy young people a week; welcomes the launch on 6th March of the results of a recent survey of hon. Members and primary care trusts (PCTs) which indicated that there is increasing awareness of young sudden cardiac death and the issues pertinent to Chapter 8 as a result of the work of some hon. Members and PCTs; recognises the work of CRY's cardiac specialists and the development of CRY's sports and schools screening programmes; notes the donation of over £400,000 of cardiac equipment to general practitioner surgeries and hospitals; welcomes the development of a network of bereavement supporters; and looks forward to the next CRY Raising Awareness Week on 9th to 14th July."

Early Day Motion, March 13th 2007.  This EDM was signed by 102 MPs

Tim Loughton, MP for East Worthing and Shoreham

"That this House congratulates Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) on its work to raise awareness of the 1st anniversary of the new Chapter 8 in the National Service Framework on Arrhythmias and Sudden Cardiac Death published on 4th March 2005, which aims to reduce the average eight cardiac-related deaths of fit young people a week; welcomes the launch on 1st March of the results of a recent survey of primary care trusts, general practitioners and the public addressing issues pertinent to the new Chapter 8; recognises the work of CRY's cardiac specialists and CRY's sports and schools screening programmes, the donation of over £400,000 of cardiac equipment to general practitioners surgeries and hospitals and the development of a network of bereavement supporters; and looks forward to the next CRY Raising Awareness Week from 3rd to 8th July."

Early Day Motion, February 28th 2006.  This EDM has been signed by 127 MPs

Tim Loughton, MP for East Worthing and Shoreham

"That this House congratulates Cardiac Risk in the Young on their 10th anniversary this year; notes that their first CRY Raising Awareness Week is being held on 11th to 18th June; applauds its successful lobbying campaign for the Cardiac Risk in the Young (Screening) Bill which instigated the new chapter on Arrhythmias and Sudden Cardiac Death in the National Service Framework to be published on 4th March; supports their National Postcard Campaign highlighting eight young (under 35) sudden cardiac deaths a week; and recognises their achievements in setting up screening clinics at the CRY Centre for Sports Cardiology at the Olympic Medical Institute and at Leeds, Colchester and Northwick Park, the donation of over £400,000 of cardiac equipment to general practitioner surgeries and hospitals, the development of a national network of 21 trained bereavement supporters to help bereaved families cope with their tragedies and their Surgery Supporters Club for young people that have been diagnosed with a life-threatening cardiac condition."

Early Day Motion, March 2nd 2005.  This EDM was signed by 118 MPs.

EDM tabled again June 8th (following 2005 General Election) - signed by 158 MPs

Kevan Jones, MP North Durham & Chairman of CRY APPG
"That this House congratulates CRY for raising awareness of Sudden Cardiac Death Syndrome; applauds CRY for the support it offers those who have suffered loss from sudden cardiac death; praises its promotion of heart screening as a simple way of diagnosing most cardiac abnormalities; notes the tremendous contribution CRY has made to medical research into Sudden Cardiac Death Syndrome"

Early Day Motion April 29 2004.  This EDM was signed by 108 MPs.

John Reid, Secretary of State for Health

"The new expert group on arrhythmia and sudden cardiac death will soon begin work on developing standards in an area that previously fell outside the scope of the National Service Framework"

Oliver Letwin heeds parent's CRY

"We need to make the medical profession much more generally aware of potential heart problems in the young. It is clearly a worthwhile cause. There is almost nothing worse that can happen to you than to have one of your children drop dead suddenly without warning."

Andrew Murrison speech in the Cardiac Risk in the Young ‘Screening’ Bill (2004)
On Wednesday, those of us who attended the CRY reception met several people with first-hand experience of such covert conditions. I was reminded of my cousin, David Horn, who collapsed and died in his school playground when he was 10. As is invariably the case, the event had profound and enduring consequences for David's family. For his parents and grandparents, nothing was ever the same again. That experience was shared by several people at the CRY reception. We know that a great deal has been achieved by CRY. We know that a simple electrocardiograph helps enormously to distinguish the worried well from patients with problems. Electrocardiography may not yet be routinely carried out in all GP premises but there is no particular reason why it should not be. Reporting can, of course, be done elsewhere, or even, these days, automatically. CRY has provided a large number of ECG machines for that purpose, which I hope will encourage doctors to investigate symptoms that previously might not have been investigated.

Department of Health sponsor CRY for £100,000 over 3 years for counselling support
Public Health Minister Yvette Cooper, April 2002 "We are keen to support the CRY programme and I am delighted to report that Section 64 funding has been granted to CRY of £100,000 over the next three years for it's bereavement counselling. This is a very important initiative for CRY.  The support which families give each other is crucial at this difficult time.  I am pleased to see so many interested people here who want to know about this work.”  

Hansard - House of Commons Daily Debates - 27th June 2002

Mark Tami (Alyn and Deeside): Is my right hon. Friend the Leader of House aware that, every week, four to eight apparently fit and healthy young people die of undiagnosed heart problems in the United Kingdom? The charity CRY—Cardiac Risk in the Young—is a self-supporting group that campaigns to increase awareness of this important issue. Will he allow for an early debate on the subject, and will he support the efforts of Doreen Harley of Connah's Quay, who lost her daughter Lisa to sudden death syndrome, and those of the Chronicle newspaper to raise funds to provide screening for hundreds of young people in north Wales?

Mr. Cook: I am aware of the organisation CRY, with which I have had contact in my constituency. I congratulate those parents who have discovered that they have offspring with heart failure on their work both to publicise the risks to young children with undiagnosed heart problems and to raise funds to take that cause further... The more children in such a position who are aware of it, the better able they will be to adjust to life and to ensure that they are not exposed to unnecessary risk

Hansard Parliamentary debate Heart Disease (young people 21st June 2001)
Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest, East):  I wish to do justice to a fine young man who I am proud to have as one of my constituents.  His name is Adrian Woodhead.  Adrian was married to Sarah and they were together for 10 years until, in 1997, just before Christmas, Sarah, who at the age of 28 had never been ill, had been very fit and was a non-smoker, suffered a massive heart seizure and died.  

MP highlights the dangers of Cardiac problems in the young April 2002
Mr Thomas said “I know from personal experience just how quickly this syndrome strikes and how completely unexpected it is..."

Parliamentary Reception April 2002 to launch the CRY Centre for Sports Cardiology at the British Olympic Medical Centre

Dr Liam Fox, “I believe this (Centre) is the first of its kind, and needed. I'm delighted to be associated with such a worthy initiative - the area of sudden cardiac death resonates personally with me.  I'm very pleased to see so many people here, and it should be viewed as a testament to Alison and all those who work and are part of CRY that the vision of such a Centre has been fulfilled."

Rt Hon Richard Caborn

"We have many excellent facilities and staff in the sports medicine field.  This centre will enhance those resources significantly.  The work of Cardiac Risk in the Young will save many young lives and that in itself is wonderful news."

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