Important health checks, screenings and vaccinations Dr Emma Chapman explains why they are so necessary

We all worry about our health but by undergoing routine health checks, which take just minutes to perform, you can spot problems in the early stages when they’re easier to treat. Over the next two issues we look at the importance of attending these appointments.

NHS health check

This is a check of your overall health. It can tell you whether you're at risk of getting certain health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease and stroke.

A nurse will ask questions about your lifestyle and family history, take your height, weight, blood pressure and do a blood test.

Based on the results, you will be given an idea of your chances of getting heart disease, stroke, kidney disease and diabetes and will be offered advice to lower your risk.

You'll be invited for a check every five years if you're between 40 and 74 years of age and do not already have heart disease, stroke, diabetes, kidney disease or high blood pressure.

Cervical screening

Cervical screening is a method of preventing cancer by detecting abnormalities which, if left untreated, could lead to cancer in a woman’s cervix. All women aged 25-64 are eligible for a free cervical screening test every 3-5 years.

About 3,000 cases of cervical cancer are diagnosed each year in the UK. Since the screening programme was introduced in the 1980s, the number of cervical cancer cases has decreased by about seven percent each year.

A nurse inserts an instrument called a speculum to open the woman’s vagina and uses a small soft brush to sweep around the cervix. Most women say it’s slightly uncomfortable but not painful.

You should receive the result of your test within two weeks. Most screening results are normal, but if you are recalled, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you have cancer. In around one in 20 women, the test shows some abnormal changes which will require further investigation and treatment.

Vaccinations

People usually recover from the flu, pneumonia or shingles without any on-going problems. However, these infections can cause serious health problems, and can be fatal. Influenza and pneumonia are the fourth most common cause of death in people over 65 years. Shingles can cause serious long-term complications and can sometimes be fatal. The best protection is to get vaccinated.

If you’re 65 years or over, you can get a free flu jab each year. If you’re under 65 but have a long-term condition (for example, diabetes, heart disease, lung disease), or if you’re a carer, you are still be eligible for a free flu jab.

You can get a vaccination for pneumonia and in some cases septicaemia and bacterial meningitis if you’re 65 years or over, or if you have a certain long term condition.

If you’re aged between 70 and 79 you can get a shingles vaccination.

See the March/April issue of Oke Links for the second part in this series.

Dr Emma Chapman

Okehampton Medical Centre