Cholesterol and a healthier nation: shared responsibility for better public health

Source: Heart UK

Follow this link for fulltext

Date of publication: 13 December 2011

Publication type: Report

In a nutshell: This report makes 8 recommendations to ensure adequate funding for NHS Trusts to implement fully the NHS Health Check programme in order to help prevent early death caused by high cholesterol and other cardiovascular risk factors.

Length of publication: 24 pages

Some important notes: Please contact your local NHS library if you cannot access the full text. Follow this link to find your local NHS library.

NHS Health Checks Ready Reckoner correction

Source: NHS Health Check

Follow this link for fulltext

Date of publication: 12 April 2011

Publication type: News item

In a nutshell: The original version of the NHS Health Checks Ready Reckoner was published online in March 2011, but a calculation error was subsequently discovered. This has now been corrected and a new version is available to download. Those who previously used the tool to produce estimates based on local population split by age and gender, need to re-run their calculations using the new version.

Length of publication: 1 webpage

Some important notes: Please contact your local NHS library if you cannot access the full text. Follow this link to find your local NHS library.

Acknowledgement: NHS Improvement – Heart

Considerable uncertainty remains in the evidence for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease

Source: The Cochrane Library

Follow this link for fulltext

Date of publication: 14 January 2011

Publication type: Editorial

In a nutshell: This editorial is written by Carl Heneghan, Director of the Centre for Evidence Based Medicine, and Clinical Reader in the Department of Primary Health Care, University of Oxford. It is based on the evidence from two new Cochrane reviews of preventive strategies: multiple risk factor interventions for primary prevention of CHD, and statins for the primary prevention of CVD.

Length of publication: 1 web page

Some important notes: Please contact your local NHS library if you cannot access the full text. Follow this link to find your local NHS library.

National exercise proven to be cost effective in Wales

Source: Chartered Society of Physiotherapy

Follow this link for fulltext

Date of publication: 16 November 2010

Publication type: News item

In a nutshell: The Welsh National Exercise Referral Scheme (NERS) was introduced in 2007, replacing local schemes. Research and evaluation by Cardiff and Bangor universities shows it to be cost-effective in helping people reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as CVD.

Length of publication: 1 web page

Some important notes: Please contact your local NHS library if you cannot access the full text. Follow this link to find your local NHS library.

Quality of life and cost-effectiveness of a 3-year trial of lifestyle intervention in primary health care

Source: Archives of Internal Medicine, 13 September 2010, vol 170 no 16, pp 1470-1479

Follow this link for fulltext

Date of publication: September 2010

Publication type: Journal article

In a nutshell: This Swedish study of 151 patients over 3 years, demonstrated clear and cost-effective impact of group-based lifestyle interventions on quality of life (QOL) in patients at moderate to high risk of CVD. The researchers performed health economic evaluation, cost-utility analysis and cost-effectiveness using the net monetary benefit method.

Length of publication: 10 pages

Some important notes: You will need an NHS Athens username and password to access this article. Please contact your local NHS library if you cannot access the full text. Follow this link to find your local NHS library.

NHS Health Check workshop, London – July 2010

Source: NHS Improvement – Heart

Follow this link for fulltext

Date of publication: July 2010

Publication type: Best Practice

In a nutshell: Presentations from this National Learning Network event include social marketing, and examples of good practice from NHS Islington and NHS Lambeth.

Length of publication: 1 web page plus

Some important notes: Please contact your local NHS library if you cannot access the full text. Follow this link to find your local NHS library.

iPlato supports Birmingham health checks

Source: E-Health Insider Primary Care

Follow this link for fulltext

Date of publication: 18th June 2010

Publication type: News item

In a nutshell: 24 GP practices in Birmingham have been using text messaging to invite patients to attend for their NHS Health Check. A 44% success rate has been achieved so far from 1850 referrals.

Length of publication: 1 web page

Some important notes: Please contact your local NHS library if you cannot access the full text. Follow this link to find your local NHS library.

The contribution of local policies to cardiovascular and other non-communicable diseases

Source: National Library for Public Health e-newsletter June 2010

Follow this link for fulltext

Date of publication: May 2010

Publication type: Research

In a nutshell:This report brings together evidence from international literature, and opinions from local policy makers, in order to produce realistic recommendations for policy action best suited to the city of Liverpool.

Length of publication: 42 pages

Some important notes: Please contact your local NHS library if you cannot access the full text. Follow this link to find your local NHS library.

Acknowledgement: Liverpool First for Health and Wellbeing Partnership

Doctors ‘failing to give correct cholesterol targets’

Source: BBC

Follow this link for fulltext

Date of publication: 11 March 2010

Publication type: News item

In a nutshell: Research carried out in Lubeck, Germany revealed that doctors are not always setting correct targets for patients for lowering cholesterol. The perception of patient risk is key. It is thought that the findings may apply more widely across Europe.

Length of publication: 1 web page

Some important notes: Please contact your local NHS library if you cannot access the full text. Follow this link to find your local NHS library.

Acknowledgement: European Heart Journal

Healthy hearts and minds Westminster

Source: NHS Westminster

Follow this link for fulltext

Date of publication: 30th January 2010

Publication type: Press release

In a nutshell: Lord Darzi has unveiled England’s biggest cardiovascular disease prevention programme. This is a collaboration between NHS Westminster, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, MyAction and Central West London Community Services. Initiatives include Vascular Risk Assessment, the innovative nurse-led multi-disciplinary MyAction prevention programme, and Community Cardiac Teams.

Length of publication: 1 webpage

Some important notes: Please contact your local NHS library if you cannot access the full text. Follow this link to find your local NHS library.

Acknowledgement: Cardiac Rehab UK, issue 16, January 2010, p 7

Practical organisation of preventive cardiology programmes: integrating prevention and rehabilitation

Source:  European Journal of Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation August 2009, volume 16 (suppl 2), S37-S42

Follow this link for fulltext

Date of publication:  August 2009

Publication type:  Journal Article

In a nutshell:  Hugo Saner,  from the Swiss Cardiovascular Centre, University Hospitals, Inselspital Bern, Switzerland, and David Wood, from the National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, Imperial College, London, discuss the European Heart Health Charter, the challenges in CVD prevention in Europe, and the core components of cardiovascular prevention and rehabilitation services.  There is particular focus on the creation of modern cardiovascular prevention centres and services, as called for by the European Association for Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation.

Length of publication:  6 pages

Some important notes: Please contact your local NHS library if you cannot access the full text. Follow this link to find your local NHS library.

Acknowledgement:   European Society of Cardiology

Working with people to cut their risk

Source:  Irish Times, 9 June 2009

Follow this link for fulltext

Date of publication: June 2009

Publication type:  News item

In a nutshell:  Croi MyAction, in the West of Ireland, is an innovative community-based 16-week programme. It will be offered free-of-charge to coronary patients, and people identified as having a greater than 5% risk of dying from heart disease in the next 10 years, plus their partners and families. 450 people in the first year, will be offered one-to-one appointments, group exercises and health promotion workshops, designed to bring about sustainable lifestyle changes. Participants’ progress will be monitored by family doctors as part of a multi-disciplinary approach.

Length of publication:  1 web page

Some important notes:  Please contact your local NHS library if you cannot access the full text. Follow this link to find your local NHS library.

Acknowledgement:  National Heart Forum Weekly e-News Briefing 10.6.09