Cherilyn Mackrory, MP for Truro and Falmouth, has welcomed the news that Cornwall will be the first area in England to trial NHS Digital Health Check as part of government plans to digitise existing face-to-face health checks.
The trial – which is the first of its kind in England– will see patients complete an online questionnaire, use a kit to take a blood sample at home, and complete a blood pressure check at their local pharmacy or in their GP’s waiting room.
The NHS Health Check is a health check-up for adults in England aged 40 to 74. It’s designed to prevent stroke, kidney disease, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some types of dementia. A total of 15 million people are eligible for free NHS Health Checks in England.
They are currently delivered through face-to-face appointments with GPs, but many parts of the check can be done without a GP, which means freeing up more time for clinicians. Patients also have to take time out of their day to go to the appointment, with the new trial aiming to free up time for more urgent GP appointments.
More than 2,000 people from three GP surgeries across Cornwall are being invited to take part in the trial - only those whose results indicate an underlying health condition will be followed-up by their GP. The results of the trial will help inform the design and development of the new national NHS Digital Health Check.
Cherilyn said:
“This landmark trial is great news for Cornwall – both for patients and reducing pressure on our local health services.
Cornwall’s peninsula location and rurality creates unique challenges for our health systems, which makes our county a natural choice for this innovative new approach.
I have received assurances that this innovation will not come at the expense of face-to-face appointments when needed and will help save time for patients and free GP appointments across Cornwall.
I look forward to supporting this trial locally and hope that everyone who is invited will take up this offer, both for their own personal benefits and to help inform future rollout nationally."
Minister for Public Health Neil O’Brien said:
“Innovation is key to a modern, forward looking National Health Service, and this trial will help us understand what a new digital NHS Health Check could look like in the years to come.
The health check is crucial in preventing and identifying potentially life-threatening conditions, and this digital version will do just that while making patients’ lives easier and reducing pressure on frontline services.
During the pandemic people got used to doing tests at home and getting their results online, so this trial is an opportunity for us to apply some of the lessons we learnt during Covid and improve the way we deliver healthcare.
I urge everyone invited to take part in the trial so we can get the best possible data as we look to roll out a national digital check.”