Oxfordshire,
28
September
2022
|
10:50
Europe/London

Residents urged to take up their free NHS health check

People aged 40 to 74 are being encouraged to take up an invitation for a free NHS health check.

The free Oxfordshire County Council funded health check can lower a person’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, kidney disease and (certain types of) dementia.

Since April 2018, a total of 51,965 Oxfordshire residents have taken up an invitation to have an NHS health check.

Councillor Mark Lygo, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health and Equalities, said: “Health checks help people to get an overview of their general health and a fast, effective method of finding out if there are some simple things they could be doing to improve their long-term health and wellbeing.

“Sometimes even if you generally feel healthy, some conditions can lurk undiagnosed with next to no obvious symptoms. Getting a health check is a great way to help detect these and tackle them before they become serious. For example, data has shown us that there are high levels of abnormal cholesterol levels among attendees.

NHS health checks are funded by Oxfordshire County Council’s public health team, which exists to improve the health of local people and protect them from preventable health issues – helping local residents live safe and healthy lives and play an active role in their communities.

Everyone aged 40 to 74 years old in England will be invited for a free NHS health check once every five years (apart from those already seeing their GP for certain conditions). Anyone who has previously received an invite, but did not respond, can contact their GP surgery to make an appointment.

A full check will take around 20 minutes:

  • You will be asked some simple questions about your family history, whether or not you smoke and how much alcohol you drink.
  • Your height, weight, sex, ethnicity and age will be recorded.
  • Your blood pressure will be taken.
  • A simple blood test will check your cholesterol level.
  • Your body mass index (BMI) will be calculated. BMI is a measure of whether you're a healthy weight for your height.
  • Your level of risk of developing certain conditions (ie stroke, kidney and heart disease, type 2 diabetes and types of dementia) will be calculated.

Find out more about free NHS health checks in Oxfordshire by visiting: www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/nhshealthchecks

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