Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to improve the detection and management of hypertension in primary care.

The Cardiovascular Disease Modern Service Framework (CVD MSF), published on 7 July, sets out 12 immediate priorities for the next three years to drive measurable improvements in outcomes and reduce inequalities. This includes a priority on hypertension treatment to target for people without cardiovascular disease. A delivery plan to support the system to implement the CVD MSF will be published later this year. More information about the CVD MSF is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cardiovascular-disease-modern-service-framework

The Quality and Outcomes Framework incentivises general practitioners to identify, monitor and manage patients with hypertension, while the CVD Prevention Audit helps practices improve blood pressure detection and control through data-driven quality improvement. The framework and audit are available respectively at the following two links:

https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/hypertension/goals-outcome-measures/qof-indicators/

https://www.cvdprevent.nhs.uk/

The National Health Service outcomes and oversight architecture supports better hypertension outcomes by creating national accountability for cardiovascular outcomes and, through the NHS Oversight Framework 2026/27, by holding systems to account for improving blood pressure control among people with diagnosed hypertension. This framework is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/nhs-oversight-framework-2026-27/