Men urged to take advantage of free NHS health check

Company news

Jun 16, 2015

A BIRMINGHAM GP surgery is urging men to use Men’s Health Week (June 15-21) to book a free – and potentially life-saving – NHS health check.

The Hill General Practice and Urgent Care Centre, located within the Sparkhill Primary Care Centre, offers the free check to its registered patients between the ages of 40 and 74 who, broadly, are not already identified by a health professional as having had a heart attack, stroke, angina or diabetes.  They should also not be on medicines for high cholesterol or high blood pressure as these people have already been screened by their GP and are being monitored regularly.

The Hill, which is run on behalf of the local NHS by leading independent health care provider, Care UK, is open seven days a week, from 8am to 8pm, including bank holidays, and provides registered patients with a wide range of services including vaccinations and immunisations, contraception services, cervical screen services, advice on stopping smoking, asthma and diabetes management, and child health surveillance. The Hill also offers a walk-in service offering health information, advice and treatment for a variety of minor illnesses and injuries to patients who are unable to see their own GP.

Sobia Hussain, Service Manager at The Hill, said: “The NHS health check is completely free. Though it is equally available to men and women, we’re particularly keen to encourage more men, who always seem more reluctant to come forward, to take advantage of the check – and what better time than during Men’s Health Week.

“These days not much is available for free and considering how important the checks are to assess your health and assess your risk of developing heart disease, stroke, kidney disease or diabetes, giving up only 30 minutes of your time seems a small price to pay. By taking early action, people can improve their health and make lifestyle changes to help prevent the onset of these conditions. Our staff know the advice and information they give makes a real difference to the lives of many people.”

The check will include measurement of blood for sugar levels, kidney function and cholesterol, blood pressure, body mass index and waist measurement. A risk calculation is carried out and personalised advice offered about how to stay healthy. All results will be shared with the person’s GP practice.