What is it and why is it important?
As well as keeping an eye on the Vital 5 areas, there are other things you can do to stay well for longer.
The most important thing is to register with a GP surgery. This is your best route to accessing most of the healthcare you might need. There are a lot of other check ups you can have too. This page will help you to know about what services you can use, and how to get access to them.
What can I do about it?
- Register with your GP surgery
- Attend an NHS health check
- Get NHS routine screening
- Get a well-man or well-woman check
- Make sure you’re up to date with vaccinations
- If you already have a long-term illness, you can have an annual check up.
What support can I get?
GP
Register with your local GP to access a variety of health care services. Visit Find a GP – NHS to find your nearest surgery.
- A GP can see patients of any age group.
- They are usually the first point of medical contact. They have the skills to treat a wide range of medical conditions and health issues.
- The GP can refer to other NHS Services for further tests or treatment.
- It is free to register.
- You do not need proof of address, immigration status, ID or an NHS Number. Primary healthcare is for everyone, whatever their immigration status.
- Many of south east London’s GP surgeries have registered as Safe Surgeries, including all in Southwark: look out for the Safe Surgeries logo. Safe surgeries have made it easier for migrants to access healthcare. This means everyone in the community can access healthcare, and nobody is excluded.
NHS Health Check (not Vital 5 Check)
Attend an NHS health check (this is different from a Vital 5 Check): if you are between 40 to 74 and do not have a pre-existing health condition, you should be invited to an NHS Health Check by your GP or local council every 5 years. Visit NHS Health Check – NHS for more information.
- The NHS Health Check aims to prevent cardiovascular disease (CVD) and detect any increased risk early.
- Get in touch with your GP surgery to check if you can get a health check.
- If they say yes, then make an appointment. If your GP is not doing health checks, they might tell you where you can go to get one. Some community pharmacies offer them too.
- The health check is free and can take up to 30 minutes
- If you have certain pre-existing conditions, you may not be eligible.
- You should have regular check-ups each year if you have one of these conditions. Your care team will be able to give you more information about this.
Vaccination
Make sure you’re up to date with all your vaccinations too. Visit NHS vaccinations and when to have them – NHS to check what vaccinations you can get.
- Having vaccinations helps to protect you against bugs that can make you really ill.
- It’s important to check that routine vaccinations like MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) and Polio are up-to-date.
- There are also seasonal vaccinations every year to protect from Flu and COVID-19.
- You can check with your GP which vaccines you might be due. You can also look at the page Vaccinations – NHS for more information.
- Your doctor might also send out invitations for seasonal or shingles vaccinations.
- You can also check at your local community pharmacy as they sometimes offer vaccination services too.
Screening
The NHS offers routine screening for some conditions that can be hard to detect.
Cancer screenings help find cancer before you get any symptoms. This way, if there’s a problem, you can get treated sooner and your treatment is more likely to work. The NHS offers cancer screenings and more, including:
- cervical screening.
- breast screening.
- bowel cancer screening.
- diabetic eye screening.
- abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) screening.
See if you are eligible for regular screening at NHS screening – NHS.
Long term conditions
If you are already facing certain long-term illnesses, you can have an annual check-up.
This is your chance to keep an eye on how it’s going. You also find out if there are any other steps you, or the NHS, can take to keep you as well as possible for as long as possible.
Here is a list of screening opportunities:
| When | What | How |
|---|---|---|
| 25+ years old | Check risk of Type 2 Diabetes | Search Diabetes Risk Score online |
| 25 to 64 | Cervical screening for women and people with a cervix, every 3-years | Contact your GP Practice |
| 40+ | Health check-up, every 5-years | Contact your GP Practice |
| 40+ | Check your blood pressure | At your local pharmacy |
| 45+ | Black men and those with a prostate, check your risk of prostate cancer | Ask your GP Practice for a PSA blood test |
| 50 to 71 | Breast cancer screening for women and those registered as female at birth, every 3-years | Search London Breast Screening online or call 020 3758 2024 |
| 54 to 74 | Bowel cancer screening, every 3-years | Contact your GP Practice |
| 55 to 74 | Targeted Lung Health Check for smokers and former smokers, every 2-years by invitation | Visit Targeted Lung Health Check |
| 65+ | Abdominal aortic aneurysm check for men and those registered as male at birth | Contact your GP Practice |