How is the Welsh Government supporting work to improve the detection of high blood pressure and high cholesterol in Wales?
We expect people with signs of high blood pressure to be investigated in line with professional guidelines and standards, such as the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence:
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng136/chapter/Recommendations#diagnosing-hypertension
The application of professional guidance and national pathways is being supported by the roll out of the Community Health Pathways platform. This includes online guidance to help clinicians make better-informed decisions about patient care by applying a hypertension pathway and a hyperlipidaemia pathway.
As part of the new unified General Medical Services contract, all practices are required to consider relevant nationally agreed clinical guidance or pathways in the management of patients. Practices are also required to maintain a hypertension disease register, and as part of the contract assurance framework, those practices with the lowest 10% prevalence rates will be identified and may form part of health board discussion with the practice, as part of a contract and governance review.
In addition, Public Health Wales is considering the development of a cardiovascular disease prevention programme.