To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps are being taken to ensure that national guidance on cardiovascular disease risk assessment and management, with particular reference to the Joint British Societies guidelines (JBS2) on cardiovascular disease prevention in clinical practice, is implemented at a primary care level. (177506)

The Joint British Societies Guidelines on cardiovascular disease prevention in clinical practice have not been adopted by the Department of Health as national policy. This was made clear in a letter from Professor Roger Boyle, the National Clinical Director for Heart Disease and Stroke sent to the national health service in November 2006. A copy of this letter has been placed in the Library.