Should I use this page, or skip it?
Use this page if you are in your 40s to 70s in the UK and want to know whether a free midlife heart-risk check is for you. Skip it and call 999 for chest pain, stroke symptoms, or severe breathing difficulty. Skip it and see a GP if you already have a new symptom you are worried about — a Health Check is not a diagnosis clinic.
This is a prevention appointment. It will not find every illness. It is useful because high cholesterol and high blood pressure often have no symptoms until a heart attack or stroke.
What is an NHS Health Check?
In England, the NHS Health Check is a free review, usually every 5 years, for many people aged 40 to 74. It estimates your risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and kidney disease, then talks through what you can do. It is not a full “MOT” of every organ.
You are typically invited if you do not already have those conditions, or treated high blood pressure. If you are already under a clinic for them, your usual reviews replace this check. Do not skip those reviews because you had a Health Check years ago.
Local councils and GP practices run the programme. You might be seen at a surgery, a pharmacy, or a community clinic. Bring a list of medicines and say if you smoke, drink, or have close relatives with early heart disease.
Who should skip the invitation, and who should chase one?
Skip the invitation and use your usual clinic if you already have heart disease, stroke, diabetes, kidney disease or treated high blood pressure — unless the letter says otherwise. Skip it and get urgent care if you have symptoms now.
Chase an invitation if you are 40 to 74 in England, think you are eligible, and have not been offered one in about 5 years. Contact the GP practice or the local authority, not 111. People who move house or change GP often miss letters.
If you are under 40, this programme is not your route. A GP can still check blood pressure and, when needed, cholesterol. If you are 75 or over, your practice should still review long-term conditions in other ways.
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland do not use the same branded programme. Follow local NHS advice.
What should I do with the results?
Ask for the numbers in writing: blood pressure, cholesterol (including non-HDL if given), BMI, and the risk score if one was calculated. A single “you’re fine” is less useful than the figures.
If cholesterol or blood pressure is high, you may be offered a repeat test, lifestyle changes, or medicine. Statins are about overall risk, not a moral failing. See high cholesterol and statins. If diabetes risk is raised, you may be offered a blood sugar test such as HbA1c.
You can check adult BMI yourself with our BMI calculator. The Health Check should also mention that some people from Black African, African-Caribbean and South Asian backgrounds can be at higher risk at a lower BMI.
Do not treat a normal check as a licence to ignore chest pain, a testicular lump, or a cough lasting more than 3 weeks.
How do I prepare?
Wear a short sleeve for the blood-pressure cuff. Know your family history of heart attack or stroke under 60. List medicines, including inhalers and pharmacy tablets. Follow fasting instructions if the letter asks for them — many people do not need to fast.
Write down two questions, for example “Do I need a statin?” and “When should this be repeated?” See preparing for a GP appointment if the check is at your surgery.
If the appointment is at a pharmacy, it is still an NHS check, not a sales pitch. You can say no to extra paid tests.
Who is this page not for?
This page is not for people who need emergency care. It is not a children’s check. It is not a cancer screening invitation — cervical, breast and bowel screening are separate programmes. It will not tell you your personal QRISK number; only the clinician with your results can.
Common questions
- Who is invited for an NHS Health Check?
- In England, many people aged 40 to 74 who do not already have heart disease, stroke, diabetes, kidney disease or treated high blood pressure. You are usually invited about every 5 years. If you already have those conditions, your usual clinic reviews replace this check.
- What happens at the appointment?
- A nurse, healthcare assistant or pharmacist usually measures height, weight and blood pressure, takes a blood sample or finger-prick for cholesterol, and asks about smoking, alcohol, family history and activity. You then get a conversation about your risk and what to change.
- Do I need to fast?
- Often no. Follow the letter. Some cholesterol and sugar tests are done without fasting. If you are asked to fast, the letter will say so. See our cholesterol blood test page for the usual NHS approach.
- Is it the same in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?
- No. The branded NHS Health Check is an England programme. Other UK nations offer related midlife or heart-risk checks through GP practices. Use the invitation you are given locally rather than assuming the England rules apply.
- What if my cholesterol or blood pressure is high?
- You may be offered lifestyle advice, a repeat test, or medicine such as a statin or blood-pressure tablet. That is a clinical decision based on overall risk, not one number. Do not start or stop tablets from a forum.
- Can I book one myself?
- If you are eligible and have not been invited, contact your GP practice or local authority. You cannot use A&E or 111 as a Health Check. It is a planned prevention appointment.
- Does a normal Health Check mean I can ignore symptoms?
- No. A check is a snapshot. New chest pain, a testicular lump, bleeding, unexplained weight loss or a persistent cough still need a GP, even if last year's numbers were fine.