To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the trainers proposed in the 2004 White Paper, Choosing Health, Making Healthy Choices Easier, will be trained to give advice on lifestyle changes and minimising the risks of cardiovascular disease; and if she will make a statement. (146117)

Health trainers are trained to meet a mandatory set of core competences. Skills for Health has worked with representatives from the British Psychological Society and for the Department to take forward the development of national competences for the role of health trainer.

The competences have been quality assured and approved as national occupational standards.

Health trainers focus on enabling people to change their behaviour in relation to a number of lifestyle factors such as smoking, reducing alcohol intake, physical exercise, healthy eating, all of which would help minimise the risk of cardiovascular disease.