To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for North Norfolk of 12 February 2009, Official Report, columns 2165-66W, on cardiovascular systems: screening, whether his Department is monitoring the location of settings from which vascular checks are being commissioned in each primary care trust area; and if he will make a statement. (288885)

Currently, no data are collected centrally by the Department on which settings primary care trusts (PCTs) are commissioning NHS health checks to take place in. We are working to establish a national minimum data set on NHS health checks, in order to help PCTs and strategic health authorities observe progress of the NHS health check programme locally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will develop national templates to assist primary care trusts in delivering vascular checks in (a) general practice surgeries, (b) community pharmacies, (c) walk-in centres and (d) other settings. (288886)

The Department has produced a number of national guidance documents, templates and other resources to support primary care trusts deliver the NHS health check (previous called vascular checks). Most recently, in conjunction with the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee, it has produced a national template designed to help primary care trusts who wish to commission NHS health checks from community pharmacy. It is available at:

www.pcc.nhs.uk/302

In association with primary care contracting, it has also developed a primary care service framework to assist primary care trusts in delivering NHS health checks in general practice surgeries, walk-in centres and other settings. This can be found at:

www.pcc.nhs.uk/news/531