During the BBC One Morning Live show on Friday, Dr. Punam Krishan urged viewers between the ages of 40 and 74 to visit their local NHS practice for a free health check-up. The health expert emphasized the importance of being proactive and identifying indicators that go unnoticed in order to proactively prevent diseases, illnesses, and conditions.
She clarified that Brits should be more aware of how their lifestyle choices are affecting their health as the physical toll of contemporary living starts to wear down our bodies: “Whether that is high levels of stress, physical activity levels, diet which is high in processed foods, erratic sleep patterns, or all of the above.” Everything adds up. That raises the risk much more. Although factors like ethnicity are unavoidable, it’s a catastrophe waiting to happen if you don’t address them in a timely manner.
The physician discussed “the power of health screening” and how it may identify risk factors and early warning indicators of potentially dangerous illnesses. “We do offer free health checks for those that are over 40 at the NHS, and it’s brilliant,” the speaker stated.
This is just for British citizens between the ages of 40 and 74 who are not enrolled in the health system for any other reason and do not have any pre-existing medical issues. Dr. Krishan urged folks to get in touch with their local GP practice to obtain these testing.
Patients may need to request the health checks from their GP surgery, however some practices may automatically send out invitations. The doctor suggested, “If you’re not sure if you’re eligible then you can just contact your surgery and they’ll let you know.”
When the patient arrived for the consultation, Dr. Krishan explained exactly what would happen. First, the patient’s height, weight, and waist circumference would be measured to determine whether or not they are at risk of becoming overweight or obese, which can lead to a variety of additional health issues. She mentioned that the person running the 20–30 minute appointment is typically the practice nurse or a healthcare assistant.
The nurse will first take your height and weight before taking your blood pressure and, most of the time, testing your blood sugar and cholesterol using a finger prick test. However, that is merely a portion of the examination, so patients should be ready for a comprehensive explanation.
“The whole point of this is that we also want to identify risks, so we will be taking a detailed history,” Dr. Krishan clarified. Do you use alcohol, smoke, or have a family history of health issues? And you are referred to your general practitioner for a follow-up if any warning signs are found.
