§ Mr. Michael MorrisTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what measures his Department proposes as a follow-up to the "Look After Your Heart!" campaign; and if he proposes to ask all family doctors to undertake screening programmes among National Health Service patients to detect and treat risk factors for coronary artery disease;
(2) what measures his Department is planning to encourage family doctors to undertake screening programmes to detect patients requiring treatment for mild to moderate hypertension.
§ Mr. MellorThe "Look After Your Heart!" campaign is a continuing one with two main aims. First, to raise awareness of the risk factors associated with coronary 701W heart disease. Secondly, to help people make the necessary lifestyle changes in key areas such as nutrition, smoking, alcohol consumption and exercise. Work continues on both fronts. Under changes to general practitioners' terms of service proposed in the document "A New Contract" which was sent to all GPs on 23 February, it will be a requirement that GPs offer patients regular check-ups. These check-ups will include measurement of blood pressure. We believe that this important development will provide an opportunity for GPs to advise patients, particularly those at risk, of measures to avoid developing high blood pressure. Whenever hypertension is identified they will be able at an early stage to take whatever action is appropriate to control the situation. We have also asked the standing medical advisory committee to advise on the cost-effectiveness of wider cholesterol testing in the prevention and treatment of heart disease.
§ Mr. Michael MorrisTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures his Department proposes to encourage special screening and treatment programmes to detect and treat National Health Service patients suffering from diabetes mellitus.
§ Mr. FreemanProvisions of screening and treatment programmes for National Health Service patients suffering from diabetes mellitus is a matter for individual health authorities. Under changes to general practitioner terms of service proposed in the document "A New Contract", which was sent to all general practitioners on 23 February, it will be a requirement that general practitioners offer patients regular check ups. These check ups will include a urine test which, amongst other things, will provide an indication of whether further investigations are necessary to determine whether or not a patient is suffering from diabetes mellitus. The early identification of disease is an essential part of the package of changes to general practice set out in the White Paper "Promoting Better Health".