Health Check

Why refer yourself for a health check? 

Everyone has a chance of developing heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, type 2 diabetes and certain types of dementia.

The NHS Health Check has been specifically designed to identify health risks, like the aforementioned, earlier. This is why it is so important to have your health checked. 

After your health check, you will be advised on the best action to take to lower any risks and create a healthier lifestyle. This could include anything from diet to exercise or even certain medicines to control blood pressure. 

Every year, the NHS Health Check is expected to help:

• Save 650 lives
• Prevent 1,600 heart attacks and strokes
• Prevent 4,000 people from developing diabetes
• Detect at least 20,000 cases of diabetes or kidney disease earlier

What will the health check cover?

It’s a 20-minute session where you will be given straightforward health tests such as measurements of weight, height and blood pressure. You will also be asked questions about your family’s medical history and your medical history and lifestyle. 

Who is eligible? 

Those between 40 and 74 years old will be invited to an NHS Health Check every five years, as long as they don’t have any of the following pre-existing conditions:

• Heart disease
• Chronic kidney disease
• Diabetes
• High blood pressure (hypertension)
• Atrial fibrillation
• Transient ischaemic attack
• Inherited high cholesterol (familial hypercholesterolemia)
• Heart failure
• Peripheral arterial disease
• Stroke
• Currently being prescribed statins to lower cholesterol
• Previous checks have found that you have a 20% or higher risk of getting cardiovascular disease over the next 10 years

If you are younger than the age bracket, you can still be referred to if there is particular concern about your health and current lifestyle choices.

How do I get booked in?

We have several options to get yourself booked into your Health Check:

Contact your GP surgery to book an appointment

If you’ve been invited to have a Health Check by your GP surgery in Essex, you can book in directly with them. Alternatively, if you are eligible for a Health Check and haven’t had one, you can contact them for an appointment.

Call us

You can call the Essex Wellbeing Service on 0300 303 9988 and one of our friendly team will book you into your preferred clinic.

Alternatively, call 0808 1750413 for Reed Wellbeing Clinics in Basildon, Chelmsford, Colchester, Rayleigh, Harlow or Loughton.

Email us

If you’d like to know more information, such as dates, times and locations or information about other local clinics, and where our mobile unit is due to be located you can email us at healthchecks@nhs.net.

Contact your local pharmacy 

The following pharmacies can book you into your Health Check:

North Essex

• Borno Chemist Ltd, Harwich – 01255 503755
• The Hythe Pharmacy, Colchester – 01206 867273
• Oakley Pharmacy, Harwich – 01255 502586

Mid Essex

• Melbourne Pharmacy, Chelmsford – 01245 355645
• Apple Tree Pharmacy, Chelmsford – 01245 467612
• Borno, Braintree – 01376 321135
• Christchurch Pharmacy, Braintree – 01376 238157
• Shadforth, Chelmsford – 01245 251496
• Galley Wood Pharmacy, Chelmsford – 01245 258583
• Village Pharmacy, South Woodham Ferrers – 01245 320344
• Borno, Witham – 01376 520052

South Essex

• MW Shadforth, Billericay – 01277 622927
• Garbett Chemist, Wickford – 01268 732042
• Shadforth Pharmacy, Billericay – 01277 652241 
• Shadforth Pharmacy, Wickford – 01268 733313
• Shadforth Pharmacy, Ingatestone – 01277 352125
• Great Berry Pharmacy, Basildon – 01268 544948
• Sach Chemist, Pitsea – 01268 553295
• Yardley Chemist, Rayleigh – 01268 743284 / 07714242736
• Elora Chemists, South Benfleet – 01268 792506 / 07714242736
• Well Pharmacy, Canvey Island – 01268 682086
• Burntwood Pharmacy, Brentwood – 01277 219728

West Essex

• Theydon Bois Pharmacy, Epping – 01992 812130
• Avasa Cara, Buckhurst Hill – 0208 504 2162