Abstract
BackgroundNHS Health Checks are a national cardiovascular risk assessment and management programme in England and Wales. We examined the experiences of patients attending and healthcare professionals (HCPs) conducting NHS Health Checks.MethodsInterviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 28 patients and 16 HCPs recruited from eight general practices across a range of socio-economic localities. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, anonymized and analysed thematically.ResultsPatients were motivated to attend an NHS Health Check because of health beliefs, the perceived value of the programme, a family history of cardiovascular and other diseases and expectations of receiving a general health assessment. Some patients reported benefits including reassurance and reinforcement of healthy lifestyles. Others experienced confusion and frustration about how results and advice were communicated, some having a poor understanding of the implications of their results. HCPs raised concerns about the skill set of some staff to competently communicate risk and lifestyle information.ConclusionsTo improve the satisfaction of patients attending and improve facilitation of lifestyle change, HCPs conducting the NHS Health Checks require sufficient training to equip them with appropriate skills and knowledge to deliver the service effectively.
Highlights
Background NHS HealthChecks are a national cardiovascular risk assessment and management programme in England and Wales
To improve the satisfaction of patients attending and improve facilitation of lifestyle change, healthcare professionals (HCPs) conducting the NHS Health Checks require sufficient training to equip them with appropriate skills and knowledge to deliver the service effectively
Our findings suggest that many patients were motivated to attend an NHS Health Check due to health beliefs associated with the value of preventative healthcare
Summary
Checks are a national cardiovascular risk assessment and management programme in England and Wales. NHS Health Checks are a national cardiovascular risk assessment and management programme for people aged 40 –74 years who do not have existing CVD. Local authority public health departments have commissioning responsibilities for NHS Health Checks; these are predominantly conducted in primary care, by nurses and healthcare assistants (HCAs). They aim to identify patients at-risk of developing heart disease, stroke, diabetes and kidney disease. Patients receive a QRisk[2] score[4] which provides a percentage estimate of their 10-year risk of developing CVD.
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