Conservative Council Urges Residents to Take Up Free Health Checks

Sunday, July 28th, 2013

NHS health checkConservative controlled Staffordshire County Council is urging its residents to take up free health checks in a bid to reduce preventable deaths.

In the last financial year (April 2012 to March 2013), nearly 45,000 Staffordshire residents were invited for a health check but only just over half of them took up the opportunity to have one.  The NHS Health Check programme aims to reduce preventable deaths by spotting the early signs of heart disease, stroke, diabetes and kidney disease so that people can get rapid treatment.

Staffordshire County Council took on responsibility for public health in April 2013 and is urging all people aged between 40 and 74 invited for a free health check by their GP to take up the offer.

Cllr Robbie Marshall, Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing, said, “Ensuring our residents are living and ageing well are key priorities for us.  I would encourage everyone between the ages of 40 and 74 who is invited for a Health Check by their GP to take up the offer, as it is potentially a lifesaving opportunity for them.

“As a council we are committed to helping support people lead as healthy and independent a life as possible and the early pick-up of any illness is crucial to this.  Prevention of an illness is always better than curing it.”

Robbie, who is also Joint Chair of the Health and Wellbeing Board, said prevention and early diagnosis is a key element in Staffordshire’s ambitious five-year plan to improve the health and wellbeing of people in the county.

Residents are also being encouraged to take part in the consultation on the Health and Wellbeing Board plan, Living Well in Staffordshire, so they can influence the way care and support services are delivered to them.

To take part in the consultation on Living well in Staffordshire, which is open until September 6th, people can send in their views to the www.engagingcommunitiesstaffordshire.co.uk website or by email at: contactus@conversationstaffordshire.co.uk or by telephone on 0800 051 8371.