NVU Postgraduate Certificate in Cardiovascular, Renal & Metabolic Medicine

PGCert CVRM

The Postgraduate Certificate in Cardiovascular, Renal & Metabolic Medicine (CVRM) is a flexible, Level 7 qualification (Master’s level) awarded by New Vision University (NVU). It equips healthcare professionals with advanced knowledge and practical skills to manage patients with complex cardio-metabolic conditions – including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, chronic kidney disease (CKD), and metabolic liver disease.

The programme is delivered through stackable micro-credentials: each module is a short credit-bearing course focusing on a key clinical area.
Taken individually, these modules provide focused professional development; completed together, they “stack” into a full 60-credit PGCert aligned with UK Higher Education standards. This stackable design allows busy clinicians to progress at their own pace.

Important Note: Completion of this PGCert alone does not confer GPwER status.
However, as a university-accredited 60-credit certificate, it provides strong evidence of higher-level knowledge and competency.
Graduates can use it to support their portfolio when pursuing recognition as a GP with an Extended Role in cardiometabolic medicine (alongside the necessary clinical experience and supervision). Please see here for more information about acquiring GPwER accreditation.

Award of the Postgraduate Certificate

The Postgraduate Certificate in Women’s Health is awarded upon successful completion of four taught modules, each carrying 15 credits (total 60 credits).
In line with the UK QAA Credit Framework, each 15-credit module represents approximately 150 hours of notional student learning and assessment.
Completing all four modules thus equates to ~600 hours of learning at Level 7, which meets the standard requirement for a PGCert in UK higher education.
Students may enrol in individual modules (earning micro-credential certificates for each) and later combine them to achieve the full PGCert qualification.

Who is it for?

The course is designed primarily for general practitioners, pharmacists, specialist nurses, and allied health professionals who want to strengthen their expertise in cardiovascular prevention and integrated chronic disease care, and who aspire to become GPwERs in CVRM.

Why Choose This Programme?

  • University awarded Level 7 qualification (Postgraduate Certificate in CVRM): Mapped to UK postgraduate benchmarks, ensuring you acquire specialist knowledge at an advanced level.


  • Flexible Learning: Blended online delivery with live interactive webinars, case discussions, and reflective practice – all designed for working professionals. Learn at your own pace with weekly evening sessions and self-directed study, allowing you to balance work and research.


  • Guideline-Based Curriculum: Content aligned with the latest evidence and guidelines – including NICE pathways, European Society of Cardiology (ESC) guidelines, Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) updates, American Diabetes Association (ADA)/EASD consensus, and the NHS England National Lipid Management Pathway – ensuring that your practice is up-to-date and evidence-based


  • Stackable Micro-credentials: Each of the four modules is a 15-credit unit that can be taken as a standalone micro-credential or combined to earn the full PGCert. This means you can target specific learning needs (e.g. a module on diabetes) and later build on it to achieve the full qualification.


  • Accreditation & CPD: Accreditation application in progress – we are actively seeking recognition from relevant professional bodies (e.g. RCGP, Royal College of Physicians, and local NHS commissioners). The course is designed to support CPD requirements and to dovetail with the competencies expected for GPwER roles and other advanced practitioner roles.

Course Structure at a Glance

The PGCert CVRM comprises four 15-credit modules (total 60 credits). Each module is delivered over a 7-week period and combines various learning methods:

  • Live Teaching: Seven weekly live online sessions per module (approx. 2 hours each) delivered via interactive webinar (using tools like Mentimeter for engagement). These live classes include lectures, case-based discussions, and Q&A with experts.

  • Pre- and Post-Session Study: Guided reading is provided before and after each live session – including key journal articles, guidelines, and online resources to reinforce learning objectives.

  • Case-Based Learning: Learners work through clinical case vignettes reflecting real-world patients with multi-morbid conditions. You will discuss and submit case analyses, developing skills in clinical reasoning and application of guidelines across CVRM conditions.

  • Reflective Practice: Each module includes reflective exercises where you relate course learnings to your own practice. Experienced tutors provide feedback on reflections, encouraging you to identify improvements in patient care.

  • Assessments: Each module has a summative assessment consisting of a written assignment (practice-improvement essay or case study) and a knowledge-based exam (best-of-five style SBAs/MCQs). These are designed to test both applied knowledge and critical thinking.

All course materials, schedules, and submissions are managed through the NV UK Academy CANVAS learning management system, providing a seamless online learning experience. Participants receive support from module tutors and the programme director throughout. Feedback is gathered from learners at the end of each module to continuously improve the teaching and ensure quality assurance in line with NVU university standards.

Each 15-credit module is delivered over seven lessons with the following content:

Module 1: Cardiovascular Disease & Lipid Management

  • Master Dyslipidaemia Guidelines: Apply NICE and ESC guidelines for lipid management in practice – from risk stratification to treatment targets. Understand how to use tools like QRISK3 and when to consider primary prevention vs. secondary prevention strategies.

  • Genetic and Secondary Causes: Recognise familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) and other secondary dyslipidaemias (e.g. due to diabetes, hypothyroidism).

  • Advanced Lipid Therapies: Optimise therapy using high-intensity statins, ezetimibe, PCSK9 inhibitors, bempedoic acid and inclisiran; sequencing drugs and combination therapies. Managing Statin Intolerance. Comparing ESC vs NICE Lipid National Pathway.

  • Screening, diagnosis and management of Atrial Fibrillation.

  • Early diagnosis of Ischemic Heart Disease and key pharmacotherapies. Management of non-stenosing without inducible ischaemia vs stenosing coronary artery disease or inducible ischaemia.

  • Heart failure- aetiology, diagnosis, classification; pillars of heart failure treatment. Cardiomyopathies- subtypes and novel therapies.

  • Relevant case-based learning and reflections.

  • Assessment (Module 1): Essay: Critically evaluate your current practice’s lipid clinic or CVD prevention program
    “How can you improve the effectiveness of your lipid management pathway through better case finding (e.g. familial hypercholesterolemia identification), patient engagement (e.g. use of the NHS app), and multi-professional education, to exceed QoF cholesterol targets?”.
    This assignment lets you propose quality improvements using course concepts.
    MCQ Exam: 30 single-best-answer questions testing knowledge of guideline recommendations, lipid targets, and drug mechanisms.

Module 2: Diabetes & Obesity in Cardiometabolic Risk

  • Pathophysiology of Metabolic Syndrome: Explore the pathophysiology of insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome in detail. Understand how visceral adiposity, inflammation, and beta-cell dysfunction interlink, and how these processes drive cardiovascular and renal risk.

  • Integrated Diabetes Care: Learn to manage type 2 diabetes and obesity in an integrated fashion, aligning with NICE NG28 and NG17 as well as the latest ADA/EASD consensus reports. This includes individualising HbA1c targets, blood pressure and lipid control in diabetics, and coordinating care across the multidisciplinary team (dieticians, diabetes nurses, endocrinologists) for holistic management.

  • Therapies with Cardiovascular Benefit: Become adept in the use of anti-diabetic medications that confer CV and renal benefits. In particular, understand when and how to use SGLT2 inhibitors and GLP-1 receptor agonists (and dual GIP/GLP-1 agonists, if available) in appropriate patients, based on current evidence and guidelines. You will review landmark trial data showing outcome benefits (e.g. heart failure reduction, CKD slowing) and learn how to navigate initiation and safety monitoring in primary care.

  • Lifestyle and Obesity Management: Discuss practical strategies for weight management and even remission of type 2 diabetes. This spans lifestyle medicine (dietary interventions such as low-carb or Mediterranean diets, physical activity promotion, addressing social determinants) and the judicious use of anti-obesity pharmacotherapy (e.g. GLP-1 analogues for weight loss). The module covers referral pathways for bariatric surgery and the selection criteria, as well as how to support patients pre- and post-surgery.

  • Menopause, Andropause & Metabolic Health: Understand the cardiometabolic effects of midlife hormonal transitions. We examine how menopause (estrogen deficiency) can worsen central obesity, blood pressure, lipid profiles, and glucose metabolism – often unmasking risk factors in women in their 50s – and how HRT or other interventions might influence these risks. Similarly, the module touches on “andropause” (age-related testosterone decline in men) and its association with metabolic syndrome and sarcopenic obesity. This knowledge is crucial for tailoring lifestyle and therapeutic interventions in middle-aged patients.

  • Relevant case-based learning and reflections.

  • Assessment (Module 2): Essay: “What are the obstacles at both practice level and ICB (system) level that might limit optimal treatment options for a patient with co-existing type 2 diabetes and obesity, and how would you overcome them?”
    This allows you to discuss resource, guideline, and health system challenges (e.g. prescribing newer agents, access to weight management services) and propose solutions.
    MCQ Exam: 30 MCQs based on clinical vignettes covering guideline-based decisions – e.g. choosing therapy for a diabetic patient with heart failure, interpreting metabolic syndrome criteria, etc.

Module 3: Chronic Kidney Disease & Fatty Liver Disease

  • CKD Early Detection & Management: Apply NICE NG203 and KDIGO 2022 guidelines to identify CKD early in primary care. You’ll learn to interpret eGFR and urine ACR trends, implement evidence-based strategies (ACEi/ARB therapy, blood pressure control, glycemic control) to slow progression, and master the new CKD classification (G stages and A stages) to risk-stratify patients. Emphasis is on proactive management to delay the onset of end-stage renal disease, including when to refer to nephrology.

  • Protecting the Kidneys – New Therapies: Understand the role of SGLT2 inhibitors, finerenone (a non-steroidal MRA), and optimised RAAS blockade in preserving renal function. This module provides practical guidance on initiating these therapies in diabetics and non-diabetics with CKD, monitoring for side effects (e.g. euglycemic ketoacidosis, hyperkalemia), and collaborating with specialists for advanced CKD care.

  • Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD/MASLD): Learn how to assess and manage metabolic liver disease – recently re-termed MASLD (Metabolic dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease). You will be able to stage fibrosis in primary care using non-invasive tools like FIB-4, NAFLD fibrosis score, ELF tests, and FibroScan®. Identify which patients with fatty liver are at risk of progressing to NASH/cirrhosis and require referral.

  • Lifestyle & Emerging Liver Therapies: Manage NAFLD through lifestyle interventions (diet, weight loss, treating metabolic comorbidities) and learn about emerging therapies in fatty liver disease. While no specific drugs for NASH are yet approved in the UK, you will discuss off-label use (e.g. pioglitazone, Vitamin E in some instances) and new agents in trials. Importantly, you’ll understand the overlap between NAFLD, cardiovascular risk, and CKD as part of the CVRM spectrum.

  • Relevant case-based learning and reflections.

  • Assessment (Module 3): Essay: “Currently, there are no QoF targets for optimally managing CKD or NAFLD, despite clear NICE guidance. If you were tasked with improving outcomes for these conditions in your area, what key performance indicators (KPIs) would you establish and why?”.
    This encourages thinking about quality metrics and system improvement for often-neglected chronic conditions.
    MCQ Exam: 30 MCQs: tests understanding of CKD thresholds (e.g. referral criteria like eGFR <30 or rapidly declining, ACR levels), fibrosis scoring cut-offs, and management steps according to guidelines.

Module 4: Integrated Complex Cases in CVRM

  • Managing Multi-morbidity: Tackle complex patients who have multiple CVRM conditions simultaneously – for example, a single patient with coronary artery disease, type 2 diabetes, CKD Stage 3, heart failure and NAFLD. Through grand-round style case discussions, learn how to prioritise interventions, sequence therapies, and individualise targets when guidelines might conflict. Special focus is on patient-centred care, shared decision-making, and considering frailty and polypharmacy in clinical plans.

  • Polypharmacy and Deprescribing: Apply principles of medication review for patients on extensive regimens. Learn systematic approaches to deprescribing where appropriate – identifying medications that may no longer be needed or may do more harm than benefit. By the end, you’ll be comfortable conducting structured medication reviews for cardiometabolic patients (as encouraged in NHS England’s Structured Medication Review program), improving adherence and reducing adverse drug events.

  • Collaborative Practice: Understand how to work effectively within multidisciplinary teams and integrated care pathways. This includes coordinating with cardiologists, endocrinologists, nephrologists, dietitians, pharmacists, and community nurses. You’ll examine models of integrated care (for example, joint diabetes-cardiology clinics, “one-stop” clinics for diabetic kidney disease) and learn how to implement referral and communication pathways that ensure seamless patient care.

  • Service Design & Leadership: Go beyond individual cases to consider service-level design. This module challenges you to conceive how a “PCN-level CVRM clinic” or community cardiometabolic service could be set up. Topics include identifying the local population needs (e.g., tackling health inequalities in CVD/diabetes outcomes), business case fundamentals, incorporating digital health (remote monitoring apps, etc.), and evaluating service impact. This prepares you for leadership roles or to act as a GP Champion for cardiometabolic health in your area.

  • Relevant case-based learning and reflections.

  • Assessment (Module 4): Portfolio & Viva: Instead of a written essay, this capstone module is assessed via a portfolio presentation and viva voce.
    You will compile a mini-portfolio of two complex patient cases you have managed or simulated (covering the breadth of CVRM conditions).
    In a live online viva, you will present your cases to examiners (a maximum of three PowerPoint slides for each case), demonstrating clinical reasoning, application of guidelines, and justifying your management decisions with evidence.
    You’ll also be expected to answer questions testing your ability to develop a service or pathway (linking back to the service design teaching).
    This mirrors real-life scenarios for GPwERs who often present case discussions at interviews or accreditation panels.

Learning & Assessment Summary

Each 15-credit module is worth ~150 hours notional learning hours [Under the QAA Credit Framework, 1 UK credit = 10 hours of notional learning].
For each module, over seven weeks, the learner is expected to complete:
~15 hrs of live teaching + ~15 hrs of pre- and post-lecture reading
~60 hrs of relevant case-based learning and reflections
~30 hrs of self-directed revision study
~30 hrs on assessments

The assessments are designed not only to test knowledge but to encourage implementation of learning in practice. By the end of the programme, you will have a comprehensive understanding of integrated cardiovascular-renal-metabolic care and be well-prepared to apply this in clinical practice – whether that is simply as a more informed generalist or as a foundation for taking on an extended role as a cardiometabolic specialist in primary care.