Do you go for GP check-ups (if there's nothing that feels wrong)?

[HangingOver]

I was raised in a family where you only go to the GP if something is hurting or bleeding or fallen off etc.

I was just watch a video of a woman in America who found out she was quite ill after a going to a routine drs check-up and she didn't feel unwell at all.

Is this an American thing or do people go to GP appointment just for check-ups? If so, what happens at one? Do they take bloods etc. or just talk to you? Or would NHS staff look at your like you were mad if you walked into the docs and said you felt fine? Sorry if this is a stupid question, it's never occurred to me before.

If you have a long term medical condition (asthma, hypertension, COPD, depression, cancer diagnosis to name but a few) your GP practice should be calling you in once a year for checks. Most of these will be with the nurse but some would be with a GP - mental health, depression, cancer, arthritis. Its best practice but also a way of the GP practice getting additional funding - and its a huge amount of money.

I work for a GP practice and thats a big part of my job - but the practice that I am registered with never call me in. I do wonder how some practices survive if they aren't doing this - but then again maybe that is why we have a high proportion of GP's to our patient register and people can actually get an appointment with us.

You can go for a private check up like in America they are paying for that, but no not on nhs unless its a follow up from illness etc.

I only go for the mammogram and smears as required, and I'm a type 1 diabetic so have eye and feet checks annually.
My husband got one of those Life Scan things as part of his job insurance requirements. He said, other than carrying too much weight, the result was he was fit (he swam a mile a day) and his heart was as strong as a horse.
He died 18 months later from cardiovascular disease at 51.

Same here!

Apparently you're offered one every five years if you're 40-74. My county council also offers them (they are done by health professionals trained to do blood pressure checks etc.

Also some employers offer them to staff.

Crikey no! You don't even get offered the age related checks here. I think you're supposed to get called every 5 years once you hit 40. Didn't happen for me or DH. When I was in with a nurse getting DDs flu jab one year I was offered one at the same time (as a carer). Nurse called up my notes and remarked that I'd not had an over 40's check. I said I'd never been invited! I was 51. I'm now nearly 60 and have never been called for another one. DH is 62 and he hasn't either. And neither of us have been near the surgery for many years so it's not as if the GPs have seen us anyway.

Both DH and I see a nurse for blood tests, me every year, DH every 6 months, as he had heart surgery in 2020 and then do keep an eye on him. I have hypertension and high cholesterol so get checked over by the nurse.

A friend of mine does, with her husband. They have an annual check up at the GP. Was amazed the first time she told me as didn’t know it was a thing.

Other than that, don’t know anyone else who does.

I think we have an over 40 check here but they just sent you a form to fill in, they don't see you. They say you can get your blood pressure checked in reception if you don't have a machine at home and then hand the form in or do it online.

My mum is meant to have a review every year for HRT but again they just get her to fill in a form. Although they did call her in this year to check that she didn't have swollen ankles!

Not that I expect it, of course it's out of the question in the NHS, but I would love a full body MOT. Something where u could be scanned, screened, x rayed, tested, absolutely everything, and I could (hopefully) walk out of the door knowing I have absolutely no disease, condition or illness lurking that I wasn't aware of.

I assume this is something you can pay for elsewhere but money is too tight for that for me.

Many people seem to discover they are very ill when it's too late to treat, and they have generally felt fine. That terrifies me!

I get a full health MOT once a year through work. It’s never shown anything wrong!

I had a bunch of texts last year to book a "health mot" appointment. In fact the surgery rang me a few times to book it, dh also gets the same texts. I think the idea is good but it requires the rest of the system to work. I have major trouble accessing regular healthcare at the moment and the "health MOT's" finding an issue needs the other wheels to be running smoothly for it to be a benefit.

Some years ago, my GP practice had a well woman clinic once a month. You didnt need an appointment, and could discuss anything female health related. I went once to discuss my periods, which were troubling me but not enough to see the GP. From that, I had some investigations and treatment that made a huge difference.
My sister had a similar thing and the nurse she saw did a breast exam, found a lump and within days she had a hospital referral.

Bring back well-women clinics!!!

Yes, but I don't live in the UK anymore (EU country though).

Health insurance covers:

• annual GP check (blood test, urine test, blood pressure)
• annual dentist visit
• annual skin cancer screening
• annual obgyn visit

They focus a lot on prevention here, which makes sense to me.

They don’t even do the 40+ checkup when I live. I’m mid 40s and would love a general MOT as I’d rather any issues were caught early but my GP surgery told me I can’t have one as they don’t do them here.

Our GP practice calls us annually to remind us to call reception and make an appt for a check up. It's done by the practice nurse and includes height, weight, BP, bloods taken, urine dip, a set question about alcohol intake, smoking, excercise and diet; and chance to mention any niggles or probs. Then there 's a follow up text or phone call to say either All-OK or make an appt with DR.

The previous practice did the same. AFAIK it;s standard in NHS Scotland for OAPS and people with longterm health issues. There was a gap during the pandemic but back to normal now.

Due to various meds & chronic conditions, I have an annual check up with my GP- weight, BP & bloods.
Even happened during Covid as well.
They send me a text reminder.

Get 3-monthly vitD, TSH and T3 checks done. Used to get an annual blood check of everything you could think of and then some. Not had one for 18 months or so. I get a prescription for it from my endocrinologist.

I can generally get a gp appt within 24 hours or less. This continued right through covid.

From 50 there are stool checks, but I don't have them as, about 9 years ago I had a pre-cancerous polyp removed from my intestine, so have regular colonoscopies every 3 years or so.

There are mammograms every 2 years from 50, and smears up to 65. I missed my last one as I was fed up with bleeding for 3 days after, which never happened in the UK. They won't do them with you lying flat and knees bent as it takes longer ie costs more.

70% of costs are covered by my carte vitale which is paid for by the British government, but could've paid 10% of income for this. I then have a top-up policy with Swiss Life which costs 70€/month, which is cheaper than some.

I live in France.

My friend lived in Japan and she said lots of companies require you to have a yearly health exam and when you turn 30 there's something called a ningen Dock that's like a full MOT and you can have a basic one or go up a level and get things like CTs

GP appointment impossible but I did attend a recent Heath check with a nurse I'm 58
Much to my suprise. All perfect

No over 40s checks here according to friends. You can't get an appointment at my GP even if you're unwell. The indifferent receptionist advises 101 if it's an emergency. Phone appointments are like the holy grail and the doctor may even actually call if you're lucky. That's with one of the better places accepting patients locally!

If you do get a telephone appointment (you have to gamble for an on-the-day appointment by calling the phone line at 9am, and they're usually all gone by the time you've moved up the queue 40 minutes later) it's 'only for one thing' and they won't give you longer to accommodate this instead you have to call for another appointment.

You have to chase up referrals because two have been 'lost' by them. Shocking really.

I hadn't intended to type so much! I got carried away. Awful, suffice to say. I might have to go private about the mole it's probably fine but I worry because I had an atypical mole removed from the same region some years ago.

So no checkups, no! I'd love to hear the receptionists reaction to being asked for a standard check if you were feeling well 😀

Yes, it is an American thing and I do have annual check ups. I used to be quite lax about them but my GP told me she is starting to see insurance companies more and more refuse to pay for treatment when a patient is diagnosed with something that could've been picked up in their annual exam/bloods but they had neglected to do it.

My GP, who is a wonderful doctor, has said the last few years she is spending more and more time battling the insurance companies to pay for their clients rather than treating her patients. Everyone I know in healthcare is saying the same. It is OUTRAGEOUS, but we are at their mercy.