NHS Health Checks and Long Term Condition Reviews
What is an NHS Health Check?
It is a regular check-up for people aged between 40 and 74 who aren’t already receiving treatment for a long term condition.
The aim is to spot any early signs that could increase your risk of stroke, kidney disease, type 2 diabetes or dementia.
As we get older, the chances of developing any of these conditions go up. Regular checks can identify risk factors and help you make simple changes to your lifestyle to help reduce those risks.
What happens during your appointment?
During the 30 minute appointment, a Practice Nurse will ask some simple questions about your lifestyle, including your diet, how much you drink or smoke and your exercise habits. We will also record your height, weight and blood pressure.
After the check, you can discuss any changes you could consider with the Practice Nurse to help reduce your risk factors. Often, simple changes can make a big difference.
How do I arrange one?
Typically, you’ll be invited for an NHS Health Checks once you turn 40, and then every five years after that. We will send you a letter inviting you to make an appointment when it is your turn.
You can find out more about NHS Health Checks at healthcheck.nhs.uk
Long term condition reviews
If you have a long term condition like asthma, diabetes or arthritis, it is essential that we regularly see you to review your condition.
When you come to the practice, you can talk with a clinical team member about how you are getting on and any medication you are taking.
The aim is to make sure your condition is being controlled as well as possible and to identify any areas where we can make changes to help you. This might include changes to the type or dosage of medication and check any equipment you might use, like inhalers, are working effectively.
We aim to review most long term conditions every 12months. When it is time for your review, the practice team will be in touch about making an appointment.
Multiple Long Term Conditions
For patients who have more than one long term condition, we take a slightly different approach. Rather than inviting you to make separate appointments for each condition, we will make one longer, combined appointment.
We can take a comprehensive look at your overall health rather than focusing on each condition in isolation. By looking at everything collectively, we can ensure you get seamless access to the integrated care you need.
Suppose you take more than one regularly prescribed medication. In that case, you might be asked to see a Clinical Pharmacist, a medicine specialist, who will help make sure you are getting the best outcomes from your medication.