This story was first published in digitalhealth.net
Over-40s health check has marginal benefits
The health ‘MOT’ succeeds in preventing just one heart attack or stroke for every 4,762 people who attend, according to research.
The findings came from a major study by Imperial College London, funded by the Department of Health. It found that the scheme offers only marginal benefit for the estimated £165m it costs in payments to GPs for carrying out the checks.
The check is offered every five years to people between 40 and 74 is intended to spot those at risk of cardiovascular disease and help them improve their lifestyle or get medication to keep them healthy.
Kiara Chang, lead author of the research from the School of Public Health at Imperial, said the findings question the initiative’s effectiveness. “Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death across the world – and so we urgently need effective initiatives to tackle the condition. However, these findings suggest the NHS health check scheme offers very modest benefits,” she said.
Among a representative sample of 138,788 people who went for a health check between 2009 and 2013, the 10-year risk of cardiovascular disease was reduced by 0.21 per cent, the study found.
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