Over 40s in Leeds urged to take up offer of free heart health check

The NHS Health Check assesses the health of your heart and blood vessels – known as cardiovascular health – and can identify early risk factors for a range of health problems such as heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease, stroke and certain types of dementia.

Everyone aged between 40 and 74 who does not have a pre-existing cardiovascular condition is eligible for the free check and should be invited for one every five years.

The service is commissioned and funded by Leeds City Council public health department and delivered by the Leeds GP Confederation in GP practices across the city.

The appointment is a supportive, friendly conversation about your health, lasting around 20-30 minutes, and usually includes measuring height, weight and waist size, blood pressure and cholesterol tests and answering general health-related questions.

Last year, a total of 19,718 NHS Health Checks were carried out across Leeds – with these leading to 572 people identified as being at high risk of developing cardiovascular disease, 901 people diagnosed with high blood pressure (hypertension) and 50 people with chronic kidney disease.

They also picked up 296 people as having undiagnosed diabetes and a further 2,175 who were deemed at risk of developing the condition.

Despite the strong uptake in Leeds of the checks, health leaders say the city has the capacity to do thousands more.

To help raise awareness of the offer and why it matters, a new campaign has been running across Leeds, with posters and messaging on display at bus stops, digital screens, flyers and on social media.

Victoria Eaton, Leeds City Council’s director of public health, said: “Many people are unaware that the NHS Health Check is free and available to them so we hope to spread the word and encourage everyone eligible to take up the chance to have this potentially life-saving appointment.

“The benefit people gain from the check cannot be underestimated – it helps to you to really understand your health, receive personalised advice and stay healthier for longer.

“Warning signs for some of the conditions it checks for also often have no symptoms – such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol – so it’s a key tool in ensuring you remain healthy for yourself and your loved ones.”

Councillor Emma Flint, Leeds City Council’s executive member for equality, adults and health, said: “All eligible people aged 40 and over are entitled to this check so please do ask your GP surgery if you’ve not yet had an invitation.

“Even if you feel healthy and well in yourself, it’s incredibly important that you still go and get checked.

“By identifying any issues early, you can take action to improve your health and reduce the risk of going on to develop serious health problems in the future.

“It’s a small step – with appointments only taking 20-30 minutes – which could make a big difference to your overall health.”

For more information on the NHS Health Check, visit https://www.nhs.uk/tests-and-treatments/nhs-health-check/.

ENDS

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Leeds City Council communications and marketing,

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