Source · National Audit Office

Progress in preventing cardiovascular disease

A review of how NHS Health Checks are provided in England is needed to improve the system for preventing cardiovascular disease.

Published: 13 Nov 2024 Recommendations: 4 Type: Value for Money NAO confirmed: 4 Department: Department of Health and Social Care
Dept: Department of Health and Social Care Topics: Health and social carePublic health nao.org.uk →

Recommendations

4 items
3 accepted 1 partially accepted 1 implemented 3 in progress

Recommendation 1

Addressee: Department of Health and Social Care · Source location: Page 12, Para 24, point a

DHSC should review the relative value of commissioning Health Checks through local authorities against alternative commissioning routes, such as NHSE, which could include incentives for delivering Health Checks in the Quality and Outcomes Framework for primary care practitioners.

Response position: Accepted

Delivery: In progress · Q3 2026-27 · Confirmed by NAO

Recommendation 2

Addressee: Department of Health and Social Care · Source location: Page 12, Para 24, point b

DHSC should set clear targets or expectations for the numbers or percentages of the eligible population who should attend Health Checks.

Response position: Accepted

Delivery: Implemented · Q2 2026/27 · Confirmed by NAO

Recommendation 3

Addressee: Department of Health and Social Care · Source location: Page 12, Para 24, point c

DHSC should incentivise delivery of Health Checks towards the groups in the population that are at highest risk of CVD to help mitigate health inequalities and reduce potential longer-term costs falling on the NHS in the future.

Response position: Partially accepted

Delivery: In progress · Q4 2026/27 · Confirmed by NAO

Recommendation 4

Addressee: Department of Health and Social Care · Source location: Page 12, Para 24, point d

DHSC and NHSE should assess the effectiveness of data flows between DHSC, local authorities and primary care to inform a data improvement programme. This should include an assessment of the feasibility of adding Health Check data to CVDPREVENT and of the costs and benefits of giving DHSC greater
access to primary care data.

Response position: Accepted

Delivery: In progress · Q4 2026/27 · Confirmed by NAO