To ask the Minister of Health to detail any training and educational resources his Department has made available to (i) primary; and (ii) secondary care professionals on cardiovascular disease in women.

My Department does not directly or routinely provide training and educational resources to healthcare professionals. After completing undergraduate training, which will include up to date learning about cardiovascular disease, clinicians (Doctors, Nurses and other Allied Health Professionals) engage in continuing professional development (CPD) and will address their own learning needs through participation in online and in person courses, reading journal articles, implementing new clinical standards and guidelines, engaging in audit and quality improvement. Much of the ongoing learning and professional development is accessed through the various professional bodies. Within primary care, training can be accessed locally through GP Federations. The content of training delivered by GP Federations is considered and chosen by members of the Federation in keeping with the training needs locally and regionally identified by our health care professionals.

Currently, Northern Ireland Centre for Pharmacy Learning and Development (NICPLD), which is funded by my Department, offers over 32 CPD hours of cardiovascular education for pharmacists through online modules, live webinars, and face-to-face events. Primary care staff, including pharmacists, may also access a wide breadth of additional cardiovascular content through PrescQIPP, an NHS-funded not-for-profit organisation that promotes safe, evidence-based, and cost-effective prescribing, which is also funded by my Department.

This education is designed to be comprehensive and inclusive, addressing cardiovascular care across the general population. While not condition-specific by gender, the content is clinically appropriate and applicable to all individuals, supporting pharmacists in the delivery of safe, effective, and equitable cardiovascular care.