KIMS Hospital and Kent FA partnership wins award for Healthy Hearts FC Programme
Blog Events Health News 9th November 2026 Enquiries & appointments
Healthy Hearts FC recognised at the FA County FA Recognition Awards for its work improving access to heart screening across grassroots football in Kent.
A partnership between KIMS Hospital and Kent FA, which is helping to make heart screening more accessible to the grassroots football community, has won the Partnership Award at the FA County FA Recognition Awards, held at Wembley Stadium.
Healthy Hearts FC was established to provide subsidised ECG screening to grassroots football clubs across Kent, helping to identify potential cardiac concerns and raise awareness of heart health among those involved in the game.
The programme brings together KIMS Hospital’s specialist cardiology expertise and Kent FA’s extensive network of grassroots clubs, with both organisations playing a vital role in its coordination and delivery.
Kent FA leads on the coordination, working directly with clubs to arrange screening days, manage appointments and distribute the necessary information and pre-screening heart health questionnaires. This helps ensure participants are prepared ahead of their appointments and that screening sessions run smoothly.
KIMS Hospital provides the clinical expertise behind the programme. Its Cardiology Administration Team supports the process, Consultant Cardiologists contribute their specialist knowledge and review ECG results, while Cardiac Nurses and Cardiac Physiologists travel to complete the ECG’s.
Emma Santer, Partnerships Manager at KIMS Hospital, who helped bring the partnership together, said:
“Healthy Hearts FC demonstrates the value of bringing organisations together to address an important community health issue. KIMS Hospital brings the clinical expertise, while Kent FA’s knowledge of and relationships within grassroots football have been instrumental in coordinating the programme and making it accessible to clubs and participants.
“Winning this award is a fantastic endorsement of the work taking place across both organisations. It has taken commitment, organisation and collaboration from a wide range of people to make the programme possible, and I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved together.”
Anne Hatswell, Divisional Lead for Cardiology at KIMS Hospital, said:
“Cardiac health is an important consideration for anyone taking part in sport, and access to appropriate screening can play a valuable role in identifying potential concerns. Healthy Hearts FC provides an opportunity to take clinical expertise beyond the hospital setting and into the grassroots football community.
“I’m particularly proud of the commitment shown by our Cardiologists, clinical teams and Cardiac administrators who have given their time and expertise to support the programme. Their involvement is central to ensuring the screenings are supported by appropriate clinical knowledge and oversight. This award is a wonderful recognition of what the partnership has achieved so far.”
This is a unique service to Kent and the success of the Healthy Hearts FC programme reflects the commitment of colleagues across both organisations, from the initial planning and administration through to the delivery of screening sessions at clubs across the county.
The award highlights the value of collaboration between healthcare and sport, demonstrating how organisations can combine their expertise and resources to support the health and wellbeing of local communities.
KIMS Hospital and Kent FA are proud of what Healthy Hearts FC has achieved, and look forward to continuing to develop the programme.
