Game-Changing Partnership: Kent FA Joins Forces with KIMS Hospital to Champion Heart Health in Kent Football!

The Kent County Football Association (Kent FA) is proud to announce a powerful new partnership with KIMS Hospital to provide subsidised ECG screenings for players, match officials, and coaches across the Kent football community.

With over 62,000 registered players in Kent, the risk of undetected heart conditions is a growing concern. In 2024, a player at a Kent walking football club collapsed from cardiac arrest during a match. Thanks to quick CPR and defibrillation, his life was saved, but sadly, not every story ends this way. We are seeing an increasing number of similar incidents that could have been prevented through early ECG detection.

KIMS Hospital is home to the number one private interventional cardiology facility outside of London, offering the most comprehensive private cardiology service in Kent. *

This partnership makes heart health a priority. By offering access to expert-led ECG screenings, reviewed by leading cardiologists at KIMS Hospital, we aim to create a safer playing environment and promote long-term wellness.

This first-of-its-kind programme in Kent has been developed through a collaborative partnership between Kent FA and KIMS Hospital, bringing together football and clinical expertise to deliver professional-level heart health support to the grassroots game. The programme reflects joint working across both organisations, with contributions from Darryl Haden (CEO, Kent FA), and Emma Santer (Partnerships Manager, KIMS Hospital), alongside clinical leadership and oversight from Anne Hatswell, Head of Cardiology Divisional Lead for Cardiology at KIMS Hospital (pictured) and Claire Whybrew (Head of Marketing & Partnerships, Kent FA) whose contact details are below.

Left to right, Emma Santer (Partnership Manager), Anne Hatswell (Head of Cardiology Divisional Lead),  KIMS Hospital and Darryl Haden (CEO), Kent FA

Our goal is simple: help players of all ages stay active and enjoy the game with confidence.

“Football is about passion, community, and care, and that includes looking after our heart health,” said Darryl Haden, CEO at Kent FA. “We’re proud to team up with KIMS Hospital to make preventive care easy, accessible, and reassuring for our players and the wider football family.”

Anne Hatswell, Divisional Lead for Cardiology at KIMS Hospital, added: “Early detection saves lives. By bringing ECG screenings to the football community, we’re helping prevent tragedies and empowering players to take control of their heart health.”

This partnership is more than a campaign; it’s a movement to champion better heart health for players, match officials, and coaches and to reduce the number of serious cardiac incidents in Kent football.

Kent FA will release the dates and the venues of the screening events soon on www.KentFA.com.

Join the conversation using #HealthyHeartFC.

To find out more contact Claire Whybrew, Head of Marketing & Partnerships, at [email protected].

*Source: Private Healthcare Information Network (PHIN), August 2025