HC Deb 08 December 1997 vol 302 cc456-7W
Mr. Randall

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what provision has been made in the current year by his Department to promote healthy living through general practitioner practices and primary healthcare services. [19109]

Mr. Milburn

Advice on healthy living and disease prevention is integral to the activity of general practitioners and primary health care teams. Most consultations in primary care will include an element of opportunistic health promotion. A patient is entitled to a health check on registering with a doctor or after three years without a consultation and patients over 75 years are entitled to an annual health check. The health of children is promoted through the immunisation and child health surveillance programmes. Most practices engage in chronic disease management programmes in asthma and diabetes, in the national cervical cytology screening programme and in structured health promotion activity under arrangements introduced in October 1996.

The initial cash-limited and non-cash limited total general medical services allocation for 1997–98 is £2,980 million. This figure will however be reviewed shortly at spring supply and will be subject to change.

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