Visit to the North East region by National Lead and Deputy National Lead

National lead meeting with the North East CVD/NHS Health Check Leads Network 14.10.16

Jamie Waterall (national lead for cardiovascular disease prevention and associate deputy chief nurse), and Katherine Thompson (deputy national lead), recently spent two days with Beverley Oliver - Health and Wellbeing Programme Lead for the North East Centre. The aim of the visit was to participate in meetings and events focused on cardiovascular disease prevention in the North East, including the NHS Health Checks.

The two days included opportunities to meet and have in-depth conversations with Professor Peter Kelly, the new Centre Director for the North East and CD lead for the NHS Health Checks programme, and time with Wendy Burke, Director of Public Health for North Tyneside and lead DPH for the North East CVD/NHS Health Check Network. On Day one there was also a meeting with the Chair and CEO of the North Tyneside GP Federation; CCG Medical Director and CCG Commissioning Manager; Public Health Commissioning Manager, Public Health Lead and Senior Manager for sport and leisure and weight management service to reflect on progress made on establishing the NHS Health Check programme within wider primary care settings.

On Day two, Jamie and Katherine took part in the North East CVD/NHS Health Check Leads network meeting, followed by a workshop with the North East DsPH Network, supported by their local leads exploring emerging themes and priority setting for 2017/18.

Professor Peter Kelly said: “It was a pleasure to see Jamie and Katherine and I enjoyed our conversation and in particular the opportunity for the North East to pilot CVD opportunities in the future. I am a long-standing, enthusiastic advocate of the NHS Health Checks and I am looking forward to my role as CD lead for the NHS Health Checks Programme and local and national colleagues as we move the agenda forward. We really appreciate our national colleagues coming out to the Centres and I know this is echoed by the DsPH and their teams.”

Jamie said: “It was an absolute pleasure to spend two days in the North East. We took a huge amount away from our contact with local authority, NHS and PHE centre colleagues. I was particularly struck with the ‘can do’ approach in the North East and colleagues' drive to improve quality and outcomes. The local PHE Centres have our support in taking forward local priorities and we are always keen to discuss these further as we develop our business plans.”

Beverley Oliver

Health and Wellbeing Programme Lead, North East PHE Centre