NHS health check invitation

[iminapickleofhoarding]

Well I’ve just seen someone say that at 40 you should get an invitation for a health check. I’m 45 and never had anything like this. My GP is a waste of space and I’m lucky nothing has been really wrong with me because i am pretty sure it would be overlooked! Have all other 40+ on here had this invitation?
YABU = Yes
YANBU = No

I was invited for one when I was 57. Results showed that I was overweight with slightly high cholesterol. I pointed out to the HCA that both of these were because of their ongoing failure to treat my hypothyroidism, but that was outside her remit, so it was all a bit pointless.

I was invited again a few months ago, so ten years after the first. I am excluded now by reason of the heart condition I have developed in the interim for which I should get an annual long term condition review. Of course I don't get that, or an annual medication review.

My sister was invited for one last year after she turned 40y.
I'd never heard of it, dh and I have never been invited for one either. We are both 49y but live in a different area if the country to my sister.

It's hard to get even a normal doctor's appointment at my surgery at present, and was fairly bad before covid and now much more difficult, not a chance it's ever going to happen here.

I had a couple of invites through the post - it's not done by gps here, run by council. Finally had one earlier this year (I'm almost 50) and discovered I had high cholesterol so had a follow up appointment about that at which they said they wouldn't do anything about it anyway!
just go here and book your own if you want one...
www.nhs.uk/conditions/nhs-health-check/

I had one at 40. X

There was talk recently of these being more DIY than seeing a nurse/doctor, get your blood test, go and get blood pressure checked at pharmacy and do an online form or something like that.

Never been invited, but I knew about them and so made an appointment.

Actually, thinking about this, when I was last in the surgery there was a poster saying that you are entitled to a sort of MOT around your birthday so to ask at reception for a ‘token’ to do your height/weight/BP.

I conduct these in my job. Not everyone is eligible because there are certain underlying criteria which mean you wouldn't be eligible, though the vast majority of 40-74 year olds are.

I'm 48 and had one when I turned 40.

i moved to new gp at 39 and had a nurse check up, to join the surgery

I had one just before Christmas, was mostly heart health, told to exercise more and a whole heap of blood tests…. But it might have been triggered by having history of heart attacks in 40s on my dads side. Also having asthma issues which are new to me post Covid.

results were nothing to worry about other than need more folates….

Frankly its low-level medicine that could be done at pharmacies - for women, a yearly exam with a proper breast check/women-specific information (especially as menopause looms) would be more beneficial, especially if they don't do mammograms on the NHS before 50.

I worked out that I’d be nearly 52 when I got my first NHS mammogram, so I took the decision to get a private one at 50.

Same.

They wouldn't do the bloods though. And that's the most important part.

If you're diabetic though for example, as a woman you are six times more likely to have a stroke or heart attack. And unlikely to just drop dead from it. More likely to have some degree of paralysis.

They get paid for it. They need the money.

I invited myself after receiving a text saying I was eligible (turned 40 last year) - was in the practice for an appointment with one of my kids and asked the receptionist whether the 40+ checks were still happening, and how it all worked. She booked me in there and then with the nurse. My GP surgery seems to be one of the extremely rare, excellent ones still functioning normally.

It’s at 50, not 40, though obvs if you have anything you’re concerned about - menopause, weight or anything else schedule a nurse practitioner or GP appt.
Alternatively a private full well woman check costs around £350

In our area it’s 50 unless you’ve something else -
diabetic, overweight etc

According to their website, it should be 40 - it is in my area:

www.nhs.uk/conditions/nhs-health-check/what-is-an-nhs-health-check-new/

Years ago my gp used to run well woman clinics in the evening. You got weighed, urine checked plus a breast check and a discussion about your health. Can't remember everything they did. They were run by the female go and practice nurse.

Not correct, the well-being checks are from 40-74.

The NhS well-being check is basically a lifestyle chat - smoking, alcohol and exercise. We then consider family history of cardiac based events and diabetic risks. We do a BP, height and weight and a cholesterol check. Once we have all the info we calculate your Qrisk which is a % figure denoting your chances within the next 10 years of cardiac events such as heart attack, stroke or diabetes.

Of course, these checks often throw up other issues which are then generally referred to the relevant team. For example, if someone tells me they are of depressed mood, they are referred to our care co-ordinator and GP for further review. If a woman tells me she's concerned about menopause, we refer her to our well woman clinic.

@hashbrownsandwich excellent summary