National leadership and action on vascular and venous disease

That this House acknowledges the widespread and often under-recognised burden of vascular and venous diseases, which affect millions of people across the United Kingdom and can lead to devastating outcomes such as stroke, amputation, or premature death if left untreated; notes that conditions such as peripheral arterial disease, deep vein thrombosis, and chronic venous insufficiency not only reduce quality of life but disproportionately impact older adults, people with diabetes, and those in deprived communities; further notes with concern that the annual NHS cost of wound care management was estimated at £8.3 billion in 2018, with £5.6 billion spent on unhealed wounds, many of which are associated with vascular disease; highlights that current inconsistencies in access to timely diagnosis and treatment across regions have worsened post-pandemic, leading to delays and inequitable outcomes; welcomes the work of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Vascular and Venous Disease in championing these issues and drawing attention to systemic gaps in workforce, community services, and diagnostic capacity; and calls on the Department of Health and Social Care to commit to clear national clinical leadership for vascular disease, ensuring consistent, high-quality services across the country, reducing unwarranted variation, and improving outcomes for patients irrespective of geography.