Implementation of NHS Health Checks in general practice: variation in delivery between practices and practitioners.

Unlabelled: Aim To evaluate NHS Health Check implementation in terms of frequency of data recording, advice provided, referrals to community-based lifestyle support services, statin prescribing and new diagnoses, and to assess variation in these aspects between practices and health professionals involved in delivery.

Background: Most NHS Health Checks are delivered by general practices, but little detail is known about the extent of variation in how they are delivered in different practices and by different health professionals.

Methods: This was an observational study conducted in a purposively selected sample of 13 practices in Sefton, North West England.

Views of practice managers and general practitioners on implementing NHS Health Checks.

As part of an evaluation of a contract with general practices to deliver the national NHS Health Checks programme in Sefton, North West England, we surveyed general practitioners (GPs) and practice managers (PMs) in all 55 practices. The contract required practices to identify individuals from their practice registers with potentially high cardiovascular disease risk, and provide annual reviews. Responses were obtained from 43/178 GPs and 40/55 PMs representing 56 and 73% of practices, respectively.

Views and experiences of the NHS Health Check provided by general medical practices: cross-sectional survey in high-risk patients.

Background: Since the NHS Health Check programme was initiated in 2009, no survey has sought patients' views of Checks provided by GP practices and few studies have reported views of the wider public. This study sought the views and experiences of patients with potentially high-cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk.

Methods: Cross-sectional postal survey of all the patients with an actual or estimated CVD risk score of at least 20% over 10 years, registered with 16 general practices in Sefton, North West England, with no follow-up.

Discussion of the health benefits of breastfeeding within small groups.

Breastfeeding is as a key target in Sefton as rates fall well below the national average. This paper reports on an evaluation that set out to examine the usefulness of an interactive group session designed to explore the health benefits of breastfeeding. The session used a tool called the Breastfeeding Treasure Box, developed in the US but not previously evaluated.