Digital Health Checks

Digital Health Checks for over 40s in fight against he

r 40 in England will be sen bid to reduce heart disease

S health checks, which will also include an online health ire, will be launched next spring for people aged 40 to 74 million people will be eligible, with around one million cks expected to be carried out over the next four years

Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said: “Thousands of ks and strokes could be prevented every year through simple cks, which could save lives and ease pressure on the NHS.” digital check-up will mean people can do simple tests and advice from homes while reducing pressure on GP

The home blood test will check cholesterol levels with patients asked to take a blood pressure test at a pharmacy, alongside the online assessment covering details such as weight, height, diet, alcohol intake and exercise levels.

Results will be made available online with help available to anyone showing early signs of issues such as diabetes or heart disease, as well as referrals to weight-loss clinics or medication

The online questionnaire will be available via phone, tablet or computer and the Government believes each check will save 20 minutes of NHS time

This could play an important role in helping people live healthier for longer and saving lives in the coming years, while reducing pressure on the NHS

Professor Sir Nilesh Silemani - Cardiovascular disease is the 2nd biggest killer in England, affecting around 6 4m people

The Government says the new digital check will help to identify 200,000 people who could benefit from the use of statins, 30,000 cases of hypertension and prevent around 400 heart attacks and strokes over the first four years

Professor Sir Nilesh Samani, medical director at the British Heart Foundation, said: “This initiative will help to reach more people and encourage them to get their blood pressure and cholesterol levels checked so that, where necessary, healthcare professionals can work with them to manage their condition ”

“This could play an important role in helping people live healthier for longer and saving lives in the coming years, while reducing pressure on the NHS ”

Existing NHS health checks for people in the same age group take place face-to-face with a GP and concerns have been expressed that elderly people are not left behind if they struggle with technology

David Baines, vice chair of the Local Government Association, told The Times “Making more digital health checks available is a useful tool to detect certain illnesses but it should be treated as an addition to, not a replacement for, a h i l h lth h k ”