12 September 2017
Prevention Crucial in Fight Against Cardiovascular Disease, Says RCGP
Responding to NHS England's announcement on initiatives to prevent heart attacks and strokes, Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard, Chair of the Royal College of GPs, said:
"GPs right across the country are only too aware of the terrible health impact that cardiovascular disease has on our patients, so we welcome any initiative that can support us to help prevent this, as long as it is properly resourced, and in the best interests of the patient in front of us.
"We know that most of our patients at risk of cardiovascular disease don't want to have to rely on medication – they want advice and encouragement to make lifestyle changes that could also help delay or prevent the onset of CVD.
"There are already a lot of simple innovations around – Public Health England's Active 10 app, which is endorsed by the RCGP is one example that puts the power back in our patients' hands.
"However, many of our members have valid concerns about blanket health checks that both deflect resources away from delivering patient care to those who really need it; and have the potential to cause unintended harms.
"The College agrees that prevention is key to the long-term sustainability of the NHS, and our patients' long-term health and wellbeing. But we must ensure that we take a patient-centred approach - focussed on the individual - as all patients have unique physical, psychological and social factors potentially affecting their health."
Further Information
RCGP Press office: 020 3188 7574/7575
Out of hours: 0203 188 7659
press@rcgp.org.uk
Notes
The Royal College of General Practitioners is a network of more than 52,000 family doctors working to improve care for patients. We work to encourage and maintain the highest standards of general medical practice and act as the voice of GPs on education, training, research and clinical standards.