Aged between 40 and 74? - Get ready for a health MOT

UK Government to indroduce health checks

If you are aged between 40 and 74 and live in England then you should have recieved your invitation from the government to take part in a free health check. This mass testing programme is being introduced to asses the levels of risk that people may have when it comes to the 'big four' of Heart Disease, Stroke, Kidney Disease and Diabetes.

Five yearly check ups

These health checks are to take place every five years. Tests that will be undertaken include measuring weight, cholesterol levels, levels of sugar in their blood and blood pressure. In addition, patients will be also asked if they have any family-inherited medical issues and whether they have smoked at any point in their life.

Assesing the risk

When these tests have been completed, patients will be given an overview of their health status. The level of risk will be indicated and any course of action that needed to be taken in order to combat these symptoms will be suggested. Those at lower-risk are to be provided general healthy living advice, they may also be given a dietary plan. Higher risk patients will be prescribed statins (Cholesterol/Blood Pressure lowering drugs).

Preventing the major diseases

The Department of Health hopes that the health checks will save 650 lives a year and prevent up to 1,600 heart attacks and strokes. A reduction of 4,000 fewer people developing diabetes annually is also a target.

The medical tests are likely to be run from GP surgeries, health centres and pharmacies. It is hoped that they may be offered in supermarkets to target those people who are perhaps not registered with a doctor. The government has said that it expects a 75% take up of the scheme.

All this is obviously going to require a great deal of administration, and its thought that the scheme will be fully operational by the year 2013. It may be some time after that that you recieve your first check up. This leaves plenty of time to adjust your diet and get in shape!.

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