Your health is important. As such, it needs to be maintained.
However, since the pandemic of 2020, fewer people than ever are attending or booking screening tests with their GP. This means that they could be inadvertently missing the early warning signs of many serious diseases.
So, if you have not attended your regular health screenings, then read on, as here, the importance of screening services will be explored.
What is a Health Screening?
Looking at the definition first, a health screening is a health check-up that looks at a general picture of your health while you are asymptomatic or in good health. It also helps your GP to note if you are at a higher risk, or have the risk factors for a certain health problem.
There are health screening tests that are available to certain people in set age groups, which include screening for breast cancer in older women, as well as abdominal aortic aneurysm aaa in people aged 65 and over.
What To Expect At Your Health Screening Appointment
When you attend your GP surgery for a health screening, you can expect them to ask about your medical history and your family history. This is to explore if you, or anyone in your immediate family have a history of conditions like high cholesterol or heart disease. If there is a history of high cholesterol, a blood test will be taken and, if there is heart disease in your family, then you may be referred for an ECG or EKG.
You will also need to have blood pressure screening, especially if you are an older individual or if you have diabetes – and this can be done as part of your NHS health check. This will help your GP to assess your risk for heart failure and potentially prescribe medications like beta blockers if needed.
You will also be asked about your sexual health. If you have had many sexual partners, you will need to undertake screening to check for sexually transmitted diseases. There are many STIs or STDs which do not present with symptoms, such as chlamydia, which can cause long-term problems with fertility if not treated. Luckily, STIs like chlamydia are treatable with antibiotics and there is nothing to be ashamed of!
If you are a woman, you will be asked about your smear test history to assess if you are at a higher risk of cervical cancer. If you have missed your most recent smear, you will be booked in for one.
How To Schedule a Health Screening
If you need access to an NHS health check, you will need to ensure that you are registered with an NHS GP. To Do this, please search online for GP Pathfinder Clinics, which allows you to book both in-person consultations and online GP video consultations.
That way, you can keep your health as a priority and keep your health up to date. Once you have had your health screening, you will get the test results in around three weeks’ time. These will be accessible via the NHS app, or you can contact us here to access the results.
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