WIREDGOV

Cllr Nick Forbes, Senior Vice Chair of the Local Government Association, responds to analysis from Diabetes UK showing that less than half of people eligible for an NHS Health Check in the last five years have received one.

“Councils have spent millions of pounds inviting more than 14 million eligible people to have an NHS Health Check over the last five years, of which around half have taken up the offer.

“However, if we are to continue to tackle or delay avoidable ill health such as Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease in England, it is vital that eligible people get checked in order to increase uptake rates.

“This will not only help people live healthier lives for longer, by identifying undetected risk factors and targeting high risk groups, but also reduce huge pressures and costs on the NHS, social care and councils’ public health services as well as wider society.

“To reduce the variation in the number of offers and uptake across the country, it is vital that the joined-up work between councils and the NHS is strengthened and organisations, such as Diabetes UK, join our call for government to reverse reductions to councils’ public health budgets.”

Notes to editors

• Councils’ public health grant has been reduced by central government by £600 million between 2015 and 2020.

Millions miss out on vital health checks that can help spot diabetes and could save lives