Derbyshire FA is delighted to highlight and commend Chesterfield FC Community Trust’s innovative new scheme to screen women footballers for cardiovascular disease - a ground-breaking move to prioritise player safety and address inequality in the game.

With generous support from Westfield Health, APLUS Medical Services & Training, and a donation from former England player Tony Currie, the initiative will provide cardiograms for 68 female players across the girls’ pathway and Education Football Programme.

This initiative addresses a significant gap in the women’s game, where only Women’s Super League and some Championship-level players (full-time professionals) routinely undergo cardiac screening. By contrast, male players at professional and academy levels in EFL clubs are routinely screened, highlighting a disparity in player welfare between genders.

Michelle Slater, Chesterfield FC Community Trust’s Women and Girls’ Football Lead, emphasised the importance of the project, stating:

“The funding will support all our girls aged 14 and above within our pathway and EFP to have a cardio screening. Our priority is to keep our players safe, and we believe that all the tiers of the women’s game should have mandatory screening.

“The women’s game has come forward in recent years, but there are still areas where we are lagging behind, and this is one of them. We hope this will pave the way for change so that more clubs supported by the FA will follow suit.”

Callum Convery, Derbyshire FA’s Football Development Officer, commended the initiative, adding:

“This is a brilliant example of a football community taking proactive steps to protect the health and safety of female players. The gap in routine cardiac screening for women footballers is a glaring inequality, and Chesterfield FC Community Trust’s leadership in addressing this issue deserves immense praise. At Derbyshire FA, we are committed to supporting initiatives like this that place player welfare at the heart of the game and inspire positive change across the sport.”

The screenings, conducted by Physiological Measurements Ltd, reflect the Trust’s dedication to ensuring the wellbeing of all their players. Christine Peacock, the company’s Sports Screening Co-ordinator, acknowledged the significance of the initiative:

“The Trust is certainly placing player health and welfare at the forefront for female athletes and should be congratulated on raising awareness in this area of the sporting community.”

Derbyshire FA applauds Chesterfield FC Community Trust for their pioneering approach to improving the safety and welfare of female footballers and encourages other organisations to follow their lead. This initiative is a shining example of collaboration and commitment to making football a safer, more inclusive game for all.