Written question asked by Sandra Gidley (Liberal Democrat) on Wednesday, 28 October 2009, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 2 November 2009. It was answered by Ann Keen (Labour) on Wednesday, 4 November 2009 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Health: Screening

Question: (2) which primary care trusts are providing vascular checks in community pharmacy settings to ensure that they are accessible when other services may not be available, as referred to on page 18 of his Department's document, Putting prevention first, Vascular Checks: risk assessment and management: next steps guidance for primary care trusts; what assessment he has made of the accessibility of vascular checks in general practice settings to those in full-time employment; and if he will make a statement.

Answer: It is for primary care trusts to commission the necessary services, as they are best placed to understand the needs of their local population. Currently, no data are collected centrally by the Department on which settings primary care trusts (PCTs) are commissioning NHS Health Checks to take place in or on the accessibility of NHS Health Checks in general practitioner practices. The Pharmacy Services Negotiating Committee has however recently undertaken a survey of Local Pharmaceutical Committees (LPCs). Approximately two thirds of LPCs replied to the survey. The results showed that, of those primary care trusts that responded, 54 per cent. are either using or intending to use community pharmacy at this stage to help deliver their NHS Health Check programmes.

Secondary information