Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-06-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the benefits of nurse-led patient health checks immediately before GP consultations.

Dr Daniel Poulter

We understand from NHS England that, to date, no assessment has been made of the benefits of nurse-led patient health checks immediately before general practitioner appointments.

However, practice nurses play an invaluable role as part of the multidisciplinary practice team. For example, in some areas nurses will deliver the NHS Health Check Programme, which aims to prevent heart disease, stroke, diabetes and kidney disease.

NHE England will also shortly be employing a practice nurse advisor who will be working at national level to help inform and disseminate best practice in relation to health checks and the Chief Nursing Officer will work closely with the Medical Director to support further work on the Health Check Programme.