NHS Health Check

Research in 2014 found no significant differences in the change to the risk of diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, chronic kidney disease or atrial fibrillation in general practices providing NHS Health Checks compared with control practices.{{cite news |last1=Caley |first1=Michael |last2=Chohan |first2=Paradip |last3=Hooper |first3=James |last4=Wright |first4=Nicola |date=1 August 2014 |title=The impact of NHS Health Checks on the prevalence of disease in general practices: a controlled study |url=http://bjgp.org/content/64/625/e516.abstract |access-date=18 September 2014 |publisher=British Journal of General Practice |volume=64 |issue=625}} In May 2016 researchers concluded that the checkup reduced the 10-year risk of cardiovascular disease by 0.21%, equivalent to one stroke or heart attack avoided every year for 4,762 people who attend.{{cite news |date=3 May 2016 |title=NHS "mid-life MOT" has marginal health benefits, say researchers |url=http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/newsandeventspggrp/imperialcollege/newssummary/news_2-5-2016-21-47-25 |access-date=3 May 2016 |publisher=Imperial College}}{{Cite journal |last=Chang |first=Kiara Chu-Mei |last2=Lee |first2=John Tayu |last3=Vamos |first3=Eszter P. |last4=Soljak |first4=Michael |last5=Johnston |first5=Desmond |last6=Khunti |first6=Kamlesh |last7=Majeed |first7=Azeem |last8=Millett |first8=Christopher |date=2016-07-12 |title=Impact of the National Health Service Health Check on cardiovascular disease risk: a difference-in-differences matching analysis |url=http://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.151201 |journal=Canadian Medical Association Journal |language=en |volume=188 |issue=10 |pages=E228–E238 |doi=10.1503/cmaj.151201 |issn=0820-3946 |pmc=4938708 |pmid=27141033}}

In 2024 research showed that in the long-term the NHS Health Check contributes to the preventing the development of cardiovascular diseases and multiple other conditions. People who attend have a lower risk of dementia, heart attack, acute kidney problems and liver cirrhosis. This is probably due to the early detection of underlying conditions and starting treatment earlier than without the check-up.{{Cite journal |date=26 September 2024 |title=Is the NHS Health Check improving our population’s health? |url=https://evidence.nihr.ac.uk/alert/is-the-nhs-health-check-improving-our-populations-health/ |journal=NIHR Evidence |publisher=National Institute for Health and Care Research |doi=10.3310/nihrevidence_63380|url-access=subscription }}{{Cite journal |last=McCracken |first=Celeste |last2=Raisi-Estabragh |first2=Zahra |last3=Szabo |first3=Liliana |last4=Robson |first4=John |last5=Raman |first5=Betty |last6=Topiwala |first6=Anya |last7=Roca-Fernández |first7=Adriana |last8=Husain |first8=Masud |last9=Petersen |first9=Steffen E. |last10=Neubauer |first10=Stefan |last11=Nichols |first11=Thomas E. |date=2024-01-23 |title=NHS Health Check attendance is associated with reduced multiorgan disease risk: a matched cohort study in the UK Biobank |url=https://bmcmedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12916-023-03187-w |journal=BMC Medicine |language=en |volume=22 |issue=1 |doi=10.1186/s12916-023-03187-w |issn=1741-7015 |pmc=10804500 |pmid=38254067 |doi-access=free}}

Peter Walsh, deputy director of the Strategy Group at NHS England admitted that take-up of the checks was poor in January 2016, after a study showed that 20% of those eligible aged 60–74 attended and 9.0% of those between 40 and 59.{{cite news|title=Take up of health checks are "not strong, to put it mildly"|url=http://www.nursinginpractice.com/article/take-health-checks-are-“not-strong-put-it-mildly”|access-date=6 April 2016|publisher=Nursing in practice|date=15 January 2016}} In the five years from 2016 to 2021, the average uptake of an NHS Health Check following an invite was 46.5%.{{cite web |title=NHS Health Check: People taking up an NHS Health Check Invite |url=https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/profile/nhs-health-check-detailed/data#page/3/gid/1938132726/pat/6/par/E12000002/ati/202/are/E08000001/iid/91116/age/219/sex/4/cid/4/tbm/1/page-options/car-ao-1_car-do-0_tre-ao-1 |access-date=14 August 2021 |website=Fintertips |publisher=Public Health England}}

Research found that take up in an ethnically diverse and socially deprived area of East London had increased from 7.3% of eligible patients in 2009 to 85.0% in 2013–2014. New diagnoses of diabetes were 30% more likely in attendees than nonattendees, hypertension 50%, and chronic kidney disease 80%.{{cite journal|last1=Robson|first1=John|last2=Dostal|first2=Isabel|last3=Madurasinghe|first3=Vichithranie|last4=Sheikh|first4=Aziz|last5=Hull|first5=Sally|last6=Boomla|first6=Kambiz|last7=Griffiths|first7=Chris|last8=Eldridge|first8=Sandra|title=NHS Health Check comorbidity and management: an observational matched study in primary care|journal=British Journal of General Practice|date=2016|volume=67|issue=Online first|pages=e86–e93|doi=10.3399/bjgp16X688837|pmid=27993901|pmc=5308122}}

Between 2016 and 2021, there were stark inequalities in uptake between the regions of England, particularly in areas of London, the North West, and the West Midlands.{{cite web |title=NHS Health Check: People taking up an NHS Health Check (map) |url=https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/profile/nhs-health-check-detailed/data#page/8/gid/1938132726/pat/6/par/E12000002/ati/202/are/E08000001/iid/91116/age/219/sex/4/cid/4/tbm/1/page-options/car-ao-1_car-do-0_tre-ao-1 |website=Fingertips |publisher=Public Health England |access-date=14 August 2021}}

In Scotland, the Keep Well programme was introduced in October 2006 to screen for cardiovascular diseases and associated risk factors,{{Cite journal|last1=Geue|first1=Claudia|last2=Lewsey|first2=James D.|last3=MacKay|first3=Daniel F.|last4=Antony|first4=Grace|last5=Fischbacher|first5=Colin M.|last6=Muirie|first6=Jill|last7=McCartney|first7=Gerard|date=2016-09-01|title=Scottish Keep Well health check programme: an interrupted time series analysis|url=https://jech.bmj.com/content/70/9/924|journal=J Epidemiol Community Health|language=en|volume=70|issue=9|pages=924–929|doi=10.1136/jech-2015-206926|issn=0143-005X|pmid=27072868|pmc=5013158}} with a focus on reducing health inequalities.{{Cite web|date=2014|title=The impact of Keep Well: An evaluation of the Keep Well programme from 2006 to 2012|url=http://www.healthscotland.scot/media/2319/the-impact-of-keep-well-an-evaluation-of-the-keep-well-programme-from-2006-to-2012.pdf|access-date=14 August 2021|website=NHS Health Scotland}} Those over 40 years old were invited for a Keep Well check at least every five years. The programme operated in several waves, each with updated requirements and specifications, and its effectiveness was judged to be mixed. In December 2013, the Scottish Chief Medical Officer announced the Government would discontinue funding for the Keep Well programme. The programme subsequently ended in March 2017.{{Cite web|title=Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS Board, Board Meeting: Keep Well and Chronic Disease Management Programme Update|url=https://www.nhsggc.org.uk/media/233313/nhsggc_board_paper_15-24.pdf|access-date=14 August 2021|website=NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Board}}

In January 2008, UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced that preventive healthcare was planned to be offered throughout England to "monitor for heart disease, strokes, diabetes and kidney disease–conditions which affect the lives of 6.2 million people, cause 200,000 deaths each year and account for a fifth of all hospital admissions."{{cite news |date=7 January 2008 |title=In full: Brown speech on the NHS |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7175083.stm |access-date=11 November 2013 |newspaper=BBC News}}

Some, such as the Glasgow GP Margaret McCartney, have criticised the programme of health checks as being without evidence of effectiveness.{{cite news |date=2 October 2013 |title=Too Much Medicine Where's the evidence for NHS health checks? |url=http://www.bmj.com/content/347/bmj.f5834.full?ijkey=Dpz11D0lz404W7L&keytype=ref |access-date=11 November 2013 |newspaper=British Medical Journal}} However, the head of health and wellbeing at Public Health England Kevin Fenton defended the programme, claiming it was evidence-based.{{cite news |date=17 September 2014 |title=NHS Health Checks programme 'evidence based', public health chief insists |url=http://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/clinical/therapy-areas/cardiovascular/nhs-health-checks-programme-evidence-based-public-health-chief-insists/20007914.article |access-date=18 September 2014 |publisher=Pulse}}

In August 2019, Matt Hancock announced that the checks would be more tailored to individuals’ risks.{{cite news |date=18 October 2019 |title=Patients attending Health Checks since 2012 increases by over half |url=https://managementinpractice.com/news/patients-attending-health-checks-since-2012-increases-by-over-half/ |access-date=24 November 2019 |publisher=Management in Practice}}

On 22 May 2023, the Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer, presented a plan to bring the National Health Service (NHS) “back on its feet” in the event that his party wins the general election. Starmer pledged to reduce deaths from heart diseases, cancer, and suicide in England. He made a commitment to reduce heart diseases and strokes by 25% over the next 10 years, along with reducing A&E waiting times and lowering suicide rates over the next five years.{{Cite news |last1=Hourigan |first1=Tom |date=2023-06-22 |title=Keir Starmer to promise Labour would reduce deaths from heart disease, strokes and suicide |url=https://www.nationalworld.com/news/politics/labour-pledges-cut-deaths-heart-disease-strokes-and-suicide-4151602 |access-date=2023-06-21 |work=Nationalworld |language=en}}

• NHS in England

{{Reflist|30em}}

• [http://www.healthcheck.nhs.uk/ NHS Health Check]
• [http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2013/351/regulation/4/made The Local Authorities (Public Health Functions and Entry to Premises by Local Healthwatch Representatives) Regulations 2013]

Category:National Health Service (England)

Category:Preventive medicine