Cholesterol

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in reducing (a) total cholesterol and (b) low density lipoprotein cholesterol levels among patients at high risk of cardiovascular disease in England; and if she will make a statement. (114417)

Information is not available in the form requested. However, the new general medical services (GMS) contract specification encourages primary care practices to identify patients who have suffered from coronary heart disease (CHD), strokes and diabetes and to control cholesterol in those patients. The following tables show the percentage of available points achieved against these indicators across England, demonstrating that general practitioner practices are making good progress in improving control of cholesterol in patients with cardiovascular disease.

The applicable quality and outcomes framework (QOF) indicators and the overall percentages are shown as follows:

*CHD 8—the percentage of patients with CHD whose last measured total cholesterol (measured in the last 15 months) is 5mmol/l or less*
QOF year	Overall percentage CHD 8 for England
2004-05	72
2005-06	78

*Stroke 8—the percentage of patients with TIA or stroke whose last measured total cholesterol (measured in the last 15 months) is 5mmol/l or less*
QOF year	Overall percentage stroke 8 for England
2004-05	63
2005-06	72

*DM 17—the percentage of patients with diabetes whose last measured total cholesterol within previous 15 months is 5mmol/or less*
QOF year	Overall percentage DM 17 for England
2004-05	72
2005-06	79
Note: Some patients may be excluded from the indicator because of exceptions and exclusions. Only patients registered with a general practice participating in QOF will be included.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will consider adopting the recommendations of the Joint British Societies guidelines on the prevention of cardiovascular disease in clinical practice in relation to (a) total cholesterol levels and (b) low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels for higher risk patients; and if she will make a statement. (114418)

Department policy on cholesterol targets is set out in the national service framework for coronary heart disease (CHD), and reflected in key drivers of practice such as the quality and outcomes framework of the general medical services contract.

The Joint British Societies guidelines are welcomed as a contribution to policy development but they do not update the Department’s policy. The principal mechanism for this is the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). NICE is currently working on guidance on lipid management, due out later this year. That guidance will set out any revisions to current policy on targets for controlling cholesterol.

Volume 455: debated on Thursday 18 January 2007