NHS Health Checks

What does Frome Medical Practice offer?

Please note, if you're attending your NHS Health Check appointment at the practice you will need to arrive 20 minutes before your appointment time to complete a NHS Health Check questionnaire. 

The NHS Health Check is a health check up for adults in England who are aged 40-74. The Check is designed to spot early signs of several health issues, wihch could be risk factors for diseases including stroke, kidney disease, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and dementia (if you’re over 65).

As we age our risk of developing these conditions increases and a NHS Health Check can help to lower this risk. The health conditions picked up by the NHS Health Check are, when added together, the biggest cause of preventable deaths in the UK, with around 7 million people affected by them. 

If you are in the 40-74 age group (without a pre-existing condition) you can expect to receive a letter inviting you to a free NHS Health Check at the Practice every five years.

Pre-existing conditions that mean you won't be invited for a NHS Health Check and don't therefore need to book an appointment include high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. Patients who have previously had a stroke or heart attack or are taking medication for these conditions will also not be invited for a NHS Health Check. Patients who fall into these categories are already having the regular checks that the NHS Health Check includes. 

The NHS Health Check lasts about 20 minutes and is carried out by a health care professional, such as a nurse. The following happens during the Check:

• You'll be asked some simple questions about your lifestyle and family history of certain diseases
• Your weight and height will be measured
• Your BMI will be calculated
• Your blood pressure will be taken
• A blood test will be taken (often via a small finger prick test)
• If you’re over 65 you will be told the signs and symptoms of dementia to look out for

All of this information is then used to calculate a risk score and and the health care professional carrying out your NHS Health Check will then provide you with information about lowering your risk of disease. This information might relate to:

• Ways to improve your diet and increase the amount of physical activity you do
• Medication that could help lower blood pressure or cholesterol
• Ways to lose weight
• How to stop smoking