A number of CVD primary prevention strategies are in place across primary care. In addition, a strategy that is used in some areas of Scotland is Keep Well, one of NHS Scotland’s key delivery vehicles for reducing health inequalities. The programme was launched in October 2006, as part of the Scottish Government’s 2005 health policy ‘Delivering for health‘.
The Keep Well vision is ‘to increase the rate of health improvement in deprived communities by enhancing primary care services to deliver anticipatory care’.
This will be achieved by:
- identifying and targeting those at particular risk of preventable serious ill-health (including those with undetected chronic disease)
- offering appropriate interventions and services to them
- providing monitoring and follow-up.
ASSIGN is a cardiovascular risk scoring tool that is used within HEARTe and across Scotland. This tool was developed in collaboration with Dundee University, Scotland in 2006.
In addition to classic risk factors and a family history of cardiovascular disease, ASSIGN includes social deprivation as a risk factor. This is the first risk calculator to utilise social deprivation and is based on a large scale study within a Scottish population. It identifies people free of cardiovascular disease most likely to develop it over ten years. ‘High risk’ (score 20 or more) implies risk-lowering medication and/or other medical help. ASSIGN is the cardiovascular risk score chosen for use by SIGN (Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network) and Scottish Government Health Directorates.
Pulse point
More information can be found at:
The ASSIGN Site has additional information that may be of interest and we recommend you take time to explore further.
Page last reviewed: 22 May 2020
