WIREDGOV

Local government can reduce the impact of chronic illnesses and prevent premature mortality by effectively delivering NHS Health Checks, according to NICE.

The NHS Health Check is a national programme, which assesses all who attend for their risk of developing heart disease, stroke, diabetes and kidney disease.

They are offered once every 5 years to every eligible person aged between 40 and 74, and are now commissioned by local authorities following their newly devolved responsibilities for public health.

It is estimated that delivering NHS Health Checks could prevent 1600 heart attacks and strokes each year, 4000 cases of diabetes, and save 650 lives.

However, according to Public Health England there is a risk of the programme becoming ineffective due to the current low uptake, and variation in how the programme has been delivered. In addition, from a NICE perspective, if people who have had the check are not followed up the effectiveness of the programme will be hampered.

To address this, NICE has produced a local government public health briefing which summarises public health recommendations that can encourage people to have NHS Health Checks, and help them change behaviours which may risk their health.

In order to increase uptake, NICE recommends using community engagement methods to identify networks of local people, champions and advocates who have the potential to promote health checks as part of an integrated health and wellbeing strategy.

Staff carrying out NHS Health Checks should be appropriately trained and qualified. A range of settings are suitable for carrying them out, and staff may wish to use a combination of pharmacies and other community settings such as community centres and GP practices to carry them out.

In addition, NICE says that NHS Health Checks can help people reduce behavioural risk factors by offering help and advice across a range of risk factors and lifestyle behaviours such as smoking, alcohol, weight control, diet and physical activity.

NICE has produced guidance on several of these topics, and the briefing includes links to relevant areas, such as giving advice for adults who want to lose weight, and dietary advice for preventing type 2 diabetes.

Also included is a table to help local authorities and partner organisations develop an action plan, and a range of examples on risk management from organisations that have put NICE guidance into practice.

Professor Mike Kelly, Director of the Centre for Public Health at NICE said: "Prevention is better than cure, so for people aged 40 to 74, going along for their NHS Health Check provides an opportunity to find out their risk of developing conditions like type 2 diabetes and heart disease and to take action that could avoid them getting these illnesses."

He added: "This briefing can help local authorities to increase the number of local people going along to NHS Health Checks, and help more people avoid these serious conditions.

"Following the advice set out in the briefing can help local authorities to tackle health inequalities and make the best and most efficient use of resources to improve the health of people in their area."