National Audit of Cardiac Rhythm Management (NACRM)
The National Audit of Cardiac Rhythm Management (NACRM) collects information about all implanted cardiac devices and all patients receiving interventional procedures for the management of cardiac rhythm disorders in the UK.
What is CRM?
An arrhythmia is a disorder of the heart rhythm, and cardiac rhythm management is the treatment. The pumping of your blood around your body is controlled by the electrical conduction system in your heart. If there is an irregular rhythm (arrhythmia) this can cause serious problems, it can even lead to sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) where the heart stops completely. Many arrhythmias are manageable with medication or technological solutions such as pacemakers or implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) to regulate the rhythm of the heart, and modern techniques such as ablation, where the problem electrical pathways are destroyed so they cannot influence the heart’s rhythm.
National Audit of Cardiac Rhythm Management (NACRM) audit
The audit aims to improve the care of patients who undergo pacemaker, implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD), cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) and cardiac ablation procedures in the UK through the collection, analysis and dissemination of data relating to centres across the UK. The audit is part of the National Cardiac Audit Programme in NHS England. Clinical leadership is provided by the British Heart Rhythm Society (BHRS).
The 2026 Interim Summary NACRM report covers the period from 1 April to 30 September 2025. Hospital level data are to be found in the interactive version.
2026 Interim Summary Report Key findings:
National Audit of Cardiac Rhythm Management (NACRM): incomplete data on cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) but a further growth in ablation for atrial fibrillation. Some hospitals have not complied with the requirements to submit data for CIEDs in a timely fashion but submissions for ablation are more in line with the numbers expected. Novel technologies such as conduction system pacing and non-transvenous ICDs have not been taken up uniformly across the country. There is a further growth in ablation procedures for patients with atrial fibrillation and the technology for performing these cases is changing with an increase in the use of pulsed-field ablation.
Previous reports for National Audit of Cardiac Rhythm Management (NACRM) are available to download via the Previous reports page.
Clinical lead: Dr Anish Bhuva
Contact email: nicor.auditenquiries@nhs.net