Keep well
Keep well addresses the health inequalities that are evident in Scotland's population by strengthening and enhancing primary care services in the most deprived areas of Scotland. It attempts to reduce the health inequalities gap between the most deprived and most affluent areas of Scotland. It focuses on Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) and its contributory risk factors, including smoking, weight, and lack of physical activity. The target population are offered an appointment to attend a health check by their local GP practice. They are screened to identify potential/existing health risk and offered treatments designed to improve their health and prevent future ill health.
This includes:
- the identification, treatment and control of high cholesterol & high blood pressure;
- smoking cessation services;
- diet and physical activity; and
- brief interventions on alcohol use
- employability
Community Health Partnerships (CHPs) were selected on the basis of having the highest number of people in the most deprived 15% of the population according to the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD). Each CHP has been given the financial backing for extra staff resources and services to identify, contact and offer improved access, health checks and risk assessment to those at particular risk of preventable ill health. The target population of the programme, identified via the GP register, is 45-64 year olds (cut-off date is 65th birthday) in the deprived areas mentioned above who are most at risk of preventable ill health.
It is supported by up to £25 million. A first wave was launched in October 2006 involving 5 Community Health Partnerships (CHPs) across Greater Glasgow, Lothian, Tayside and North Lanarkshire was identified to implement the initial Keep well approach. Health checks in the first wave of CHPs have now commenced. An additional £2m (£400,000 per CHP) was allocated for smoking cessation services.
A second wave of up to 9 CHPs was announced in February 2007 that will cover Fife, Ayrshire & Arran, Grampian and Greater Glasgow & Clyde. Checks to begin early 2008.
Individuals will develop, in partnership with practice nurses/other health professionals, a plan to reduce their risk of preventable ill health.
The programme is being monitored and evaluated, to identify lessons/best practice learned which will form an evidence base that will inform a general and widespread application of anticipatory and preventative care amongst deprived populations across Scotland.
The evaluation of Keep well will consider the extent to which the programme is:
- reaching more people who are at particular risk of preventable serious ill-health in deprived and hard to reach communities
- engaging people more systematically in terms of offering appropriate interventions and services to them
- and providing monitoring and follow up associated with change in treatment patterns and clinical and lifestyle risk factors.
For further information on Keep Well and What to expect from a Health Check visit NHS Health Scotland's Keep Well site.