Regular health checks are important to identify any underlying problems before they escalate out of control. Finding problems early can drastically improve your chances of treatment and recovery, and help prevent more serious illnesses, such as diabetes, from developing.
If you are aged between 40 and 74 years of age and haven’t had a stroke or don’t already have heart disease, diabetes or kidney disease, you will be eligible for a free NHS check-up every five years. These can be booked via your GP or other local provider.
However if you do not fall in the category above, or want to do more, there are other ways of checking your health, here are a few:
Lloyds Pharmacy health checks
- Cholesterol and Heart Check – If you are over 18 years of age and are concerned about your heart and cholesterol health, you can book an appointment for a check-up online. A small fee is charged for this service
- Blood Pressure Testing– If you are over 16 years of age you can get your blood pressure checked for free.
- Diabetes 2 Test – You can book a free, confidential appointment for Diabetes Type 2 testing.
Wellness kiosks
In many pharmacies you will now find wellness kiosks where you can check your weight and blood pressure and answer questions about your lifestyle.
Online health check tools
BMI Calculator: Discover if you are over or underweight, and what your ideal range is, along with guidance on what your daily calorie intake should be to help you lose or put on weight if need be.
How are you? Quiz: Get a free, personalised health score that can help you get an idea of your overall health and point you in the right direction of help and advice.
Heart age test: Discover your ‘heart age’, get advice on how to help keep your heart healthy and monitor your blood pressure and cholesterol numbers.
Kidney disease self-assessment: Find out if you should get your kidney function checked with this online self-assessment tool.
Diabetes 2 self-assessment: A short test to discover if you’re at risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Self-test health kits
There are a whole range of DIY/self-test kits available but it is important to be aware of any misleading claims. These tests should never replace the advice of a health professional. The NHS provide guidance on how to use self-test kits safely on their NHS choices website.
And finally…
Please remember, it is important to remember that you should always consult your GP if you are concerned about your health, or the results of any health checks, or planning on making any lifestyle changes that may impact on your health.