WIREDGOV

More people from high-risk and hard-to-reach groups are having a free NHS Health Check after local authorities took over the responsibility for delivering them.

New Public Health England (PHE) figures show that 1,485,339 people were given check-ups last year after 3,042,478 - some 19.7% of the eligible population - were offered them.

The figures show a 7.9% increase in the number of people who were offered checks and a 7.4% increase in the number of people who undertook them, compared to year 2013/14.

Councils took on responsibilities for public health in April 2013 and now many consider NHS Health Checks as a core programme within adult health improvement programmes.

The programme offers eligible people, between the ages of 40 and 74, advice to help delay or prevent conditions such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, kidney disease and some cancers and dementia.

Cllr Izzi Seccombe, Chairman of the LGA's Community Wellbeing Board, said: 

"Evidence suggests that medium or high-risk individuals are less likely to be regular users of health services, so using primary care alone to drive the programme is not enough.

"Councils have successfully worked with communities and individuals most at risk to improve their health and lower the risk of developing serious but preventable conditions.

"This is not only improving the health and quality of life of people but it is also helping reduce the burden on council services and the NHS." 

Significant work is taking place to target hard to reach groups around the country including:

• Leeds City Council supporting GPs to search their databases to identify suitable candidates and focusing on 42 practices in deprived areas that tend to include hard-to-reach groups. Health checks have since been rolled out to all 109 city practices and the council has conducted outreach work in Asda supermarket pharmacies, which stay open until 10pm. The measures were supported by an information campaign that has led to a 60% uptake of health checks.
   
• London Borough of Southwark, where about 300 different languages are spoken, and council-trained volunteers are increasing health check uptake. Some of the volunteers are medical professionals who have trained overseas but cannot practice in the UK until they have completed conversion training. Outreach work has taken place in libraries, shops and pubs. Some 55% of targeted eligible population completed a health check last year, up from 36% in 2012/13 before the council took on the responsibility.
   
• Buckinghamshire County Council has been targeting men and particularly those of south Asian or other ethnic minorities. Outreach work has taken place in mosques and Costcutter stores as well as DIY stores, a bus station, a factory and a football club. More than 40 different outreach locations have been used leading to across-the-board increases in target groups.