UNHEALTHY people in underprivileged parts of Scotland could be targeted by health professionals to get them to seek medical care.
Andy Kerr, health minister, says tackling conditions at an early stage could be a huge benefit for everyone.
The idea has come from Professor David Kerr, the cancer specialist who led a farreaching report into the future of the NHS in Scotland. The Scottish Executive is considering the plan as part of its response to the Kerr report.
Under the plan, health workers, such as GPs or nurses working within communities, would contact people in at-risk groups to recommend that they attend their local surgery or clinic for a check-up if they have not done so for a long time. It is thought the system would also promote screening for heart disease and cancer.
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