ABSTRACT
NHS Primary Care Commissioning, the Department of Health’s policy implementation body, has circulated a primary care service framework for peripheral arterial disease to all primary care trusts.1
The NHS Health Check programme consists of a series of clinical and cost-effective tests for identifying people with diabetes, heart disease, a stroke and kidney disease. Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is not a part of this programme. The new service framework feels that PAD should be a part of this programme because it has the same aetiology as coronary artery disease or a stroke and has a signifi cant impact on health.
