NHS Health Checks

Everyone has a chance of developing heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, type 2 diabetes or certain types of dementia. The NHS Health Check will help you and your GP or health professional to identify your risk earlier.

You’ll then be given advice on what action you can take to lower your risk and improve your chances of a healthier life. This could include suggestions on small changes to your diet or how much exercise you take if your risk is low or moderate. If you are at higher risk, you might be offered things such as medicines to control your blood pressure, along with help to take action like losing weight or stopping smoking.

You will receive an invitation to an NHS Health Check if you are between the ages of 40 and 74 and are not already on a disease register. If you have not received an invitation, you will receive one, but you may have to wait. The NHS Health Check should happen once every five years so you can see if your risk has changed.

This varies across the country. In some areas, the NHS Health Check will be done by your GP at their surgery. But in other areas NHS Health Checks are conducted in sport centres, pharmacies, schools, town halls and even in special mobile test centres.

If you’re not registered with a GP, it’s a good idea to register now. 

You will be given some straightforward health tests including having your blood pressure, weight and height measured. You will also be asked some questions about your family’s medical history and your lifestyle. It’s not embarrassing or

You will be told your results and advised on any lifestyle changes you need to take to improve your score. If you need a prescription or other medical help, that will also be provided. Following your first check, you’ll be invited for another check every five years until you’re over 74.

The full check cannot be done online. As well as testing your blood pressure, cholesterol and BMI levels, the NHS Health Check involves a healthcare professional listening to your health concerns and advising you on the best ways to improve your health. 

However, if you are over the age of 30, you can now take the online heart age test, which, based on the information you put in, can give you an idea of what your risk might be.

The NHS Health Check programme is aimed at people aged 40 to 74. If you are not old enough for an NHS Health Check, you will soon be able to do a free pre-check online (currently in development). If you are especially worried about your health, you can always book an appointment with your GP and they may give you an early NHS Health Check if they think it is necessary.

If you have urgent concerns about your health, call NHS 111 for advice.

Younger people generally have a much lower risk of the conditions the NHS Health Check covers, so checking people in this group would not be such an effective way for the NHS to spend its resources.

It is recommended, however, that all adults are aware of their blood pressure and other key measures such as their BMI. Ask your GP or a pharmacist for advice on getting this information if you don’t already have it. 

• When it becomes available, see how you get on with the online pre-check tool (when available)
• Check your BMI with our BMI calculator
• Boost your activity levels with our free Couch to 5K running programme

The NHS Health Check takes around 20-30 minutes. Make sure you attend on time, and leave a little time in your day in case your appointment lasts slightly longer than expected (for instance, if you need further tests) or the appointments are running a bit late.

No, not really. You will need to have a blood sample taken at the NHS Health Check. This will usually involve a quick “finger-prick” test to produce a small drop of blood from your fingertip. None of the other tests are at all painful.

No. There should be no embarrassing questions, and you shouldn’t have to remove any clothes (unless you’re wearing a top with tight-fitting sleeves that would make taking your blood pressure difficult). You can request to be seen by a male or a female healthcare professional if you prefer.

No. You should wear comfortable, loose clothing when attending an NHS Health Check appointment as you will have to roll up your sleeve to have your blood pressure measured. You may also have a blood sample taken from your arm to measure your cholesterol level, although this is often done as a “finger-prick” test.

The NHS Health Check involves

• measuring your height (to help calculate your body mass index (BMI))
• weighing you (for BMI)
• taking your blood pressure (using a gauge that uses a cuff fitted over your upper arm)
• taking a sample of blood to measure your cholesterol level
• questions about you (such as your age), your medical history (such as whether you have previously had heart or circulation problems), your family history (whether any of your close relatives have had medical problems) and any symptoms of diabetes (such as the need to urinate a lot)
• questions about your lifestyle (such as your level of physical activity, whether you smoke and how much you drink)
• if necessary, you may need further tests, such as a finger-prick test to measure your blood glucose if the healthcare professional thinks that you may have diabetes

The tests that form part of the NHS Health Check have been proven in large, long-term studies to be able to detect cardiovascular conditions and assess people’s risk of developing these problems.

For example, the Framingham heart study provided the first clear evidence that heart health could be affected by both lifestyle factors, such as diet, and health factors, such as high blood pressure. 

There is also evidence to show that receiving advice from a health professional makes us more likely to do more exercise. 

There are no physical risks from having the NHS Health Check beyond having a small blood sample taken.

However, as with medical tests or advice or any sort, there is a small risk of the results being inaccurate, leading to you being given unnecessary treatment, or being unduly reassured.

The possibility of harm from being treated unnecessarily are believed to be quite low, as the common medications for high blood pressure and high cholesterol are known to be very safe. The possibility of harm from being falsely reassured by an inaccurate test is also small.

Once you know your blood pressure, cholesterol level, BMI and age the NHS Health Check combines these results to calculate your risk. These calculations were traditionally done using “risk charts”, but more recently are done using computer software. The calculations are based on studies which have observed the health “outcomes” of large numbers of people over many years using these same tests and questions.

The charity HEART UK has more information about how healthcare professionals calculate your risk of disease in relation to cholestrol.

If your healthcare professional thinks you might have diabetes, you will need to have your blood glucose level measured. You may also be referred for further tests based on your initial results, for example, you may be referred for an ECG which measures how well your heart is pumping.

The results of the NHS Health Check will be given to you. They will also be recorded in your standard medical records which can be accessed by your GP and other healthcare professionals who need to see it if you consult them. Read more information about your medical records.

Yes. As with any medical information about you, your NHS Health Check results will be treated confidentially.