NELFT marked Men’s Health Week with on-site health checks for staff.

NHS Health Checks are 30-minute appointments where blood pressure, along with height, weight and waist circumference are taken to calculate body mass index. A small finger pinch of blood is taken to generate a total cholesterol and cholesterol/HDL ratio. Lifestyle questions around smoking, drinking, exercise, and family history of heart disease will also be asked.

Once the clinician has the results you receive a risk score of developing cardiovascular disease in the next 10 years.

The aim of health checks is to identify early signs of long-term health conditions including stroke, kidney disease, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and dementia.

The free NHS Health Checks were held onsite at community bases for the convenience of staff members. It is important to provide the time and space to healthcare professionals supporting patients, to look after their own wellbeing. The initiative provided further incentive for men to prioritise their health, as research has shown that men are less likely to seek to seek help for health-related issues.

When asked what prompted them to book an onsite free NHS Health Check, one NELFT worker said:

“I wanted to know if I was in good health and if not what I could do to improve my health. The fact that my NHS employers provided the service, made me feel confident it was a safe test and the results would be accurate. Also the test was close to my home, making this accessible for me.”

Regarding their health check experience, they said:

“The clinician who conducted the test gave a clear explanation of what the test would consist of, how the scores worked, and what the test results would find. Everything was straight forward and easy to understand. Overall it made me feel much better in myself, and gave me confidence that my health, what I eat, and how I live life in general, is a healthy lifestyle.”

If you are aged 40 – 75 and do not have a pre-existing health condition, you should be invited to an NHS Health Check by your GP or local council every 5 years. If you have not been contacted and you think you are eligible, get in touch with your GP or local council.

You can find out more information about NHS Health Checks by visiting the NHS website: NHS Health Check - NHS (www.nhs.uk)