Cardiovascular disease (CVD)

CVD is a major contributor to health inequalities and premature mortality in Stockton-on-Tees. While some health indicators, such as heart failure admissions, are favourable, others including stroke admissions, NHS Health Check uptake, and risk factor prevalence highlight challenges, particularly among deprived communities and underserved groups.  

There is a need for targeted, system-wide action to improve early detection, reduce modifiable risk factors, and ensure equitable access to preventative and long-term support services. This includes improving uptake of NHS Health Checks, enhancing service accessibility for vulnerable groups, and addressing wider social determinants of health 

To do this we will do the following in Stockton-on-Tees: 

• develop a service specification and recommission the statutory provision of NHS Health checks (current contract ends 2026)
• review NHS Health Check performance and address low or inequitable uptake (for example, providing tailored support and visits to GP practices), targeted work to address health inequalities
• take opportunities to pilot alternative provision of NHS Health Checks, to assess feasibility, improve uptake and reduce inequalities (for example, CVD Workplace Health Check Programme)
• update and distribute a patient results booklet for practices to hand out at an NHS Health Check, to aid risk communication and encourage behaviour change

Best practice in other areas include:

• moving towards community-based health check models like Bradford District and Craven
• study on CVD prevention outreach through community champions and peer educators
• implementing BloodPressure@Home scheme

Adopting approaches such as these will be essential in meeting the identified needs, closing inequality gaps, and reducing the burden of CVD in Stockton-on-Tees.