Check Ups For the Over 65s.

Greyduster what you describe as a 'routine health check' is the over 40s check introduced a couple of years ago and everyone over that age is meant to be gradually called in for it.

I was called in for mine two years ago, only weeks after I had had my annual check for a minor kidney problem I have. I pointed out to my GP that the only difference between my annual check and the health check was the life style questionnaire and being weighed and it seemed a waste of NHS resources to undergo the same two sets of tests within weeks of each other. I suggested that they simply sent me the life style questionnaire when I had my next kidney check - and they did!!

Last year's notification of my annual check included the life style check form. The nurse didn't weigh me, she gave me a look and could see I that I was not overweight and only glanced at the Life style questionnaire, which was pretty rudimentary and had all the approved answers - and that was that.

I wonder if it's a postcode lottery. Whether it depends on which part of the country you live in. Some surgeries definitely sound better than others.

DH and I had a letter some time ago with a named Dr who was going to look after us as we were over 75. Since then at our instigation he has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Does our GP surgery want to know? Do they !!! I made an appointment after a few weeks to discuss his medication and our named GP was only interested in getting him onto Warfarin as he was over 75. Since then the only contact has been a note to review his medication by a telephone consultation .He has not been seen now for 15 months. I cannot remember when we were last called in for a health check if ever. We are nearly 79 and 78. The caring health service, I think not.

Health checks are offered by surgeries who have agreed to do them. In some places you can get them done at libraries or pharmacies all sorts of places. They are only for people who don't already have a chronic condition like diabetes. Surgeries cannot do health checks on all their patients 40 to 74 at the same time so may be targeting one age group at a time. If you want one why not phone your sugery and ask if they are doing them and ask if you can book in. Otherwise look on the Internet and see where you can have one. Some doctors aren't interested as there has been a lot of press as to the fact that they do not produce any health benefit for patients. Other surgeries don't offer them as they are struggling to cope with just seeing patients let alone doing health checks on those who are not ill.

There are surgeries closing down because there are lots of doctors who cannot cope with the level of stress and they are under and there is a serious lack of doctors who want to be GPs. Several local sugeries have been advertising for salaried GPs to fill gaps but have had no response at all. No one is applying for jobs as GPs as the pressure involved is too great.
P.S I am not a GP!

I had one when I was in my forties ethel, and then a gap of thirty years.

I've got a Lloyds pharmacy blood pressure monitor. I have a go when I think of it.

I get my blood pressure checked twice a year. I think on the whole our practice would just prefer us not to go there.

I have been having an 'older' persons check up since I was 40, a blood test, weight, height etc. Its normal in our practice.

Thanks for the link Grannyknot. It makes it clear that some practices offer it and others don't as yet, but it will be available for all over the next few years. Surprised to see that the check ups will be offered to people of 40!!!

I've heard that some doctors have been inundated with requests for Alzheimer's Disease tests. I heard a couple on the bus refer to it as Old Timers' Disease - it made me smile.

I've discussed this with friends and we all agree that we are becoming more forgetful in our late sixties but we haven't got Alzheimers. My mum had it and also her friend so I've a good idea of what to look out for.

I certainly had a letter and have been backwards and forwards ever since! They have discovered I have an under-active thyroid so I am very grateful. I had been going for quite a few little things that I had decided I should get on top of, most of which may be due to the thyroid problem. I have only been on the tablets for three weeks but have moved from constantly exhausted to constantly very tired and bits of me seem to be mending in a way they were not with specific treatment for the individual problem although I could be affected by just knowing there is an answer to how I was feeling.

It has to be a good thing to do but I would add that our area is part of this new trial joining up care and the medical side of things and my mother (different surgery) now has a designated care co-ordinator - a doctor - and I think money follows that for the surgery, so I wonder if it does for the 65+ MOT. I think some surgeries are just too small to get on top of all the paper work.

We didn't request it. We had a letter each.

Here's another link: www.healthcheck.nhs.uk/

That should be "only one" (not whatever kindle wrote above).

I think it's this one that people mean:

www.nhs.uk/Conditions/nhs-health-check/Pages/NHS-Health-Check.aspx

Or that's the in me one I know about. I think you have to request it.

We were offered a checkup of blood glucose, cholesterol, and blood pressure two or three years back. Think it must have been when we turned seventy. Surely it can't be just our surgery doing this, can it? we had not changed practices. Been with this one for donkeys years.

Perhaps you could ring your surgery and ask.

The nearest thing I've had to a check up was when we changed practices. I was 65 then. But what are we meaning as a health check? I was called for a routine health check last year but it only involved blood pressure, cholesterol, lifestyle and weight. I was out walking with a friend yesterday and she said she was called forward for an over 75 health check which involved a dementia check. I said "what did they ask you?" "I can't remember", she quipped.. Seriously, I think they ought to be doing dementia checks far earlier than 75.

I have never been offered it either