programme

An abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a swelling in the abdominal aorta, which is the main artery that supplies blood to your body. As the AAA grows, the wall of the aorta stretches and becomes weaker, which can eventually lead to a significant risk of a ruptured AAA. This is often fatal. The aim of the AAA screening programme is to reduce AAA-related mortality by providing a systematic, population-based screening programme.

Diabetic retinopathy occurs when diabetes damages the small blood vessels in the part of the eye called the retina. These blood vessels can become blocked or leaky, affecting how the retina works. Sometimes abnormal new blood vessels grow, which are weak and can bleed easily.

In the early stages, these changes will not normally affect your sight. However, if left untreated, the retinopathy may get worse and your vision may be affected.

In November 2010, the Public Health Agency commissioned Social Market Research (www.socialmarketresearch.co.uk) to undertake a formative evaluation of the pilot 'One Stop Shop' (OSS) Programme. This report presents the outcomes from this evaluation as well as recommendations to support the further development of the programme beyond the pilot period.