The NHS Health Check program, designed to prevent serious health issues such as heart disease and diabetes, is under increasing strain due to financial pressures on local authorities. More than 70 councils across the UK are reportedly limiting the number of checks that can be carried out each year, despite the program’s original goal of offering preventative care to all eligible adults between 40 and 74 years old.
Funding Cuts and Local Authority Limits
According to Pulse, local authorities have imposed caps on the number of NHS Health Checks that can be offered by GP practices. This move comes as councils face significant budgetary constraints, leading them to reduce funding for preventative health measures. The Health Check program, introduced in 2009 to reduce cardiovascular disease, is a critical tool in identifying at-risk individuals early, but the cuts are raising concerns about its long-term effectiveness.
A Warwickshire GP expressed frustration with the situation, telling the Pulse:
“Prevention is an important part of GP care, and it is one of the platforms touted by the current Government, so it seems counterproductive to limit funding for NHS Health Checks. In my surgery, we’ve had a high take-up rate for these checks over the last few years and have run evening and Saturday clinics to accommodate working people. The whole point of a screening test is to catch asymptomatic people, and by not funding NHS Health Checks adequately, we’re missing out on diagnosing people, particularly with diabetes or hyperlipidaemia.”
The Impact on Patients and Practices
The reduction in funding has led to fewer checks being available to the public, with many GP surgeries unable to meet the growing demand for these screenings. Local authorities are supposed to invite 20% of the eligible population each year, but according to FOI data gathered by Pulse, many councils are limiting the number of checks well below that target. In some areas, the caps are set as low as 10% to 15% of the eligible population, which could mean that thousands of individuals are missing out on critical preventative care.
A GP based in the North East noted the long-term consequences of this funding shortage:
“If properly commissioned and funded we could do more. But as it is with sporadic funding and inability to incorporate proficiently into primary care, it will remain as a sporadic check, and not as it should.”
Government Efforts and Future Plans
The Department of Health and Social Care is aware of the limitations and has acknowledged the need for improvement. In a statement, a spokesperson for the department explained:
“Over the last five years more than 75% of the eligible population were invited for an NHS Health Check. We are actively improving this vital programme that catches people at risk of heart disease and stroke early, by developing an online check that people can use at home, at a time and place convenient to them.
We’re also acting to prevent cardiovascular conditions in the first place by tackling smoking and obesity, and through our 10 Year Health Plan we will turn the NHS around by shifting the focus of care from sickness to prevention.”
While these efforts aim to reduce the impact of the funding shortfall, experts warn that without consistent and adequate funding, the program may not achieve its full potential in reducing preventable health conditions across the UK.
