Labour calls for consideration of heart screenings for young people

The Labour Party is calling on the government to reconsider the case for providing heart screening services to young people via the NHS.

Shadow health secretary Andy Burnham has written to government counterpart Andrew Lansley to ask for the National Screening Committee to re-examine the issue, following the recent health scare involving Premier League footballer Fabrice Muamba.

The Bolton Wanderers player collapsed on the field of play during an FA Cup match against Tottenham Hotspur last month after suffering a cardiac arrest, requiring extensive treatment before he could be resuscitated.

Mr Burnham highlighted advice from charity group Cardiac Risk in the Young suggesting that incidents of this kind are more common than many assume, with as many as 12 sudden deaths occurring in the UK every week.

He called for Britain to follow the example of Italy, where heart screening is routinely offered to young sportspeople, leading to a reduced rate of fatalities.

"If we want a truly preventative NHS, then we must have effective screening services. I urge the government to look seriously at this issue," said the minister.