Services Database Pharmacy NHS Health Checks (North Somerset Area)

NHS Health Checks is a national programme which is designed to identify and manage the risk of a cardiovascular incident within the next 10 years for people aged 40 to 74 who are not already identified and included on specified disease registers.  It aims to identify those at risk of, or with early signs of, high blood pressure, raised lipid or blood glucose levels, and contributory factors including being overweight, smoking, excess alcohol consumption and physical inactivity. It also seeks to raise awareness of vascular dementia in the 65 – 74 age group. The NHS Health Check programme encompasses appropriate referral to pharmacological and non pharmacological treatments for the management of risk, and the follow up and ongoing management of those at the highest risk.  It is expected that this programme will go some way to identify the undiagnosed population with existing cardiovascular disease, who will then be managed on existing disease pathways within primary care for secondary prevention.

When fully implemented in North Somerset it is estimated that each year as a direct result of having an NHS Health Checks approximately 84 people with diabetes will be diagnosed, 315 people with high blood pressure and  in need of medication will be diagnosed and 218 people with kidney disease will be diagnosed. Many more with risk factors such as smoking, overweight, poor diet, excess levels of alcohol intake and low levels of physical activity will be advised, encouraged and assisted  to make lifestyle changes to reduce risk of developing disease in the future.

At least one pharmacist or dispenser should complete the Health Checks training event provided by North Somerset Council and complete the online dementia awareness training (https://www.healthcheck.nhs.uk/increasing-dementia-awareness-training-resource/), which will take around 30 minutes to complete.

Only staff who have completed these and can give evidence through a copy of the certificates, can deliver the NHS Health Checks.

In addition, North Somerset Council Public Health will provide Motivational Interviewing Skills Training (one day) which should be completed by those who need it to reach required competencies.

Clinical skills training sessions to carry out blood pressure readings, height, weight and point of care cholesterol testing should be completed by those who need it to reach the required competencies.