Patient Evaluation of the NHS Health Check Programme
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Patient Evaluation of the NHS Health Check Programme to Investigate the Programme’s Effectiveness in Communicating CVD Risk.
IRAS ID
95326
Contact name
Azeem Majeed
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Imperial College London
Research summary
Our research is an evaluation of the NHS Health Check programme’s effectiveness in communicating the risk of heart attack or stroke (CVD risk) to patients and motivating patients to change behaviour to reduce their chances of experiencing heart attack or stroke in the next 10 years.
Despite large reductions over the last two decades, CVD is still the leading cause of mortality in the UK, with 32% of registered deaths in 2009. Yet 80% of premature heart disease and stroke is preventable with the adoption of a more healthy diet, regular physical exercise, not smoking and reducing alcohol consumption to acceptable levels.
The Health Check programme aims to reduce the onset of cardiovascular disease (CVD), diabetes and chronic kidney disease in England by encouraging patients to modify lifestyle to lower CVD risk with general advice, cessation clinics, and programme referrals. The programme offers people aged 40-74 years, without ’vascular’ disease, a Health Check every five years in which patients receive a CVD risk score. After risk assessment, attendees are offered interventions appropriate to their level of risk and the presence of risk factors.
The Health Check programme is implemented in a diverse manner across multiple settings. Whereas some providers use standard software systems (EMIS, INPS-Vision, TPP-SystmOne) to communicate CVD risk, other providers use more user friendly software (Health Options). Health Checks are primarily delivered by appointment at general practices, and are delivered opportunistically by outreach providers in community centres. There has been no research examining which approach of programme implementation is most effective in communicating patient risk and motivating patients to change their behaviour to lower risk. Our work is important in clarifying whether programme implementation is important in increasing patients’ awareness of CVD. The work is also globally significant, evaluating the first national programme of its type.
REC name
London - City & East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
13/LO/1885
Date of REC Opinion
25 Nov 2013
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion