To think this health test is pointless for me³

[Muchtodoaboutnothing]

I have been invited to my GP surgery for a health check with the practice nurse, for patients with long term health conditions such as Heart Disease, COPD, Asthma, Stroke, Kidney Disease, Epilepsy, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Mental Health problems.

My condition is epilepsy. I am however still under a hospital consultant and have regular reviews with them.
I am fit, within my bmi and healthy. I know my height and weight, blood pressure. I don't have cholesterol issues, and have a healthy blood sugar level. It seems to be a generic appointment, and apparently it is a new system.
AIBU not to attend?

Phone and talk to them. We can’t possibly know.

What is it we cannot know? Is there something else they test for that I haven't mentioned?

Is there something else they test for that I haven't mentioned?

We don’t know. Talk to them and ask why you have been invited.

I can't see the harm in having them done.

Hospitals don't generally share data with GPs so you should attend so they have the latest data on you.

We are obliged to offer them. You can decline if you don’t want one.

I have had so many tests for a good few months now, cannot face another one, especially when it is repeating what I have had done multiple times.

Blood tests.
I go every year and only have one condition but it's worth going to see if any new problems.. such as kidney disease etc .

I’m fairly sure GP’s get money for doing them, but just say no if you don’t want it.

Then you need to speak to the GP and ask why they want to do more tests.

The hospital write to my surgery with an update from every appointment. All of the letters are attached to my gp record.

I was thinking I won't attend this year, and go next year should I be in a situation where I haven't been tested for awhile. I don't really know what epilepsy would put me at risk of when I'm physically very fit. Dh is overweight, shouldn't he be invited? It just seems wrong to have my condition on this list.

As you are monitored by a consultant, yes it sounds pointless. You are not obliged to attend, just decline. No need to make it into a big deal.

Thank you, that makes a lot of sense. I don't qualify for flu jabs etc, yet they're inviting me for this. They have my height, weight and BMI on my record, and all updates from my hospital appointments on how I am doing with epilepsy which covers mental health etc. It seems maybe a generic letter. I think it is a waste of GP resources in my case.

Thank you, yes I am under the hospital consultant and hospital epilepsy nursing team. The gp knows nothing about epilepsy, and actually misdiagnosed me in the first place. The appt is with the practice nurse; it sounds like an MOT, which I don't need. I can really understand all of the other conditions on the list, but not mine. It seems like a complete waste of resources, at a time the nhs is inundated.

it will be an invitation partly because they do get incentives for completing this sort of thing, but partly because epilepsy can increase risk for some things (esp cardiovascular risk). It's entirely up to you whether you go - just politely decline if you don't want it and there's no drama.

Thank you, that is good to know. I would more likely go if they were doing an ECG, which I have ironically never been offered a referral for. Blood pressure is healthy.

I was called in for a health check and had weight blood pressure checked. What had triggered it was me going on hrt after mentioning self harm as my mood swings were horrific and that had flagged me up. Hrt had sorted it but if it hadn’t it would have been helpful.

That's really good they caught that for you, and I can absolutely understand why having this check was helpful in your case. The appointments need to be kept for people who need them. 💐

probably looking for co-morbidities.
or it could be an age related checkup

I’ve had 2 of these invitations in recent months. I assumed I had fallen into some sort of age bracket or something, didn’t realise it’s a new programme.

I’ve just ignored them. It’s hard enough to try and get an appointment at a convenient time when I’m actually ill, I can’t be bothered to go out of my way for some basic tests.

I'm 38, apparently it is a brand new thing only for those with long term health conditions. It is a 30 minute appointment. Dh is 40, and overweight; he would need to go more, has been known to have high blood pressure etc, yet he doesn't get an invite because he doesn't have a diagnosed long term condition.

I can totally understand all of the other conditions on this list. Epilepsy however I don't understand, not when I am under the care of the hospital which do update the surgery, and I am and healthy which they have on my record, never had any issues with blood pressure in my life, all up to date.

I believe people with these conditions on average die younger than the general population. I think it’s around 10 years younger for people with my mood disorder (mental health). So they do annual checks to make sure these groups are offered support and conditions picked up early. Everyone gets offered the same every 5 years from age 40 I beleive. So it’s just increasing frequency for at risk groups. I don’t know if declining an appointment means you just get asked again next year or taken off the invite list as I always go even though the same checks are done by consultant team in relation to the medication I am on.

You don't have to go, OP - you can politely decline.
I turn down all sorts of checks, screening etc, as I consider them unnecessary. Everyone is free to make their own choice, and if you don't wish to attend then the appointment can be offered to someone else.

Thank you, it is helpful to know. That's exactly it, there are people who are really in need of appointments. No way am I taking one away. They flippantly start these schemes, and invite people for basic tests who don't need to go. No wonder the service is absolutely rammed. Yes I think they do an MOT type test from 40-65? This test is only for those with long term conditions on the list, no matter their age. It is an absolutely vital service for those who need to go, which the other conditions would warrant.

I don't have any risk factors at all for kidney disease, or anything similar.