Over 40? Get a free NHS Healthy lifestyle check in your local pharmacy! 

Did you know that:

• the older you get, the more susceptible you become to illnesses?
• over 95% of breast cancer occurs in the over 40s?
• as little as an hour of walking per week helps improve your heart health? 
• taking better care of your overall health can help protect your brain health 

Get a healthy lifestyle checkup today in your local pharmacy today - especially if you have no pre-existing conditions! 

Our NHS healthy lifestyle checkup aims to lower your risk of heart or kidney disease and stroke, many of which do not have any obvious symptoms.

We’ll help you find out if you are at any risk, so you can take action to improve your health. This could include making lifestyle changes or taking medicines.

The free NHS healthy lifestyle check service will take place with one of our pharmacy team, who will ask you a few questions about your lifestyle and family to assess your risk of:

• heart disease
• chronic kidney disease
• diabetes
• high blood pressure (hypertension)
• atrial fibrillation
• transient ischaemic attack
• inherited high cholesterol (familial hypercholesterolemia)
• heart failure
• peripheral arterial disease
• stroke
• high cholesterol 

Dementia, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, respiratory illness and many preventable cancers share the risk factors that we will assess during your health check.

A free NHS healthy lifestyle check could help you to reduce your chance of getting these conditions too.

Frequently asked questions:

What is an NHS healthy lifestyle check?

The checkup takes about 20 to 30 minutes and usually includes:

• measuring your height and weight
• measuring your waist
• a blood pressure test
• a cholesterol test*, and possibly a blood sugar level test, which is usually a finger-prick blood test. You may be asked to have a blood test at or before the NHS Health Check 

*cholesterol check not available at every pharmacy, check our pharmacy listings for this service 

You’ll also be asked some questions about your health including:

• whether any of your close relatives have had any medical conditions
• if you smoke, and how much
• if you drink alcohol, and how much
• how much physical activity you do

How much does it cost? 

It’s completely free of charge at your local pharmacy - Find your nearest pharmacy and call them to book an appointment or just drop in to the pharmacy without one 

When and how will I get the results?

You'll usually be told your results during the appointment.

You'll be given your cardiovascular risk score of developing a heart or circulation problem, such as heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes or kidney disease, over the next 10 years.

The healthcare professional may describe this risk score as low, moderate or high.

Everybody's cardiovascular risk rises with age, so the next time you have an NHS Health check your risk score may be higher, even if your test results are the same.

There are some things about your risk which you cannot change, such as your age, ethnicity and family history. But the most important factors in your risk score (such as smoking, your cholesterol level and blood pressure) can be changed.

Your NHS Health Check results should also be broken down into:

• your body mass index (BMI) score
• your blood pressure
• your alcohol use score
• your physical activity assessment result
• your diabetes risk assessment
• your cholesterol levels* 

*cholesterol check not available at every pharmacy, check our pharmacy listings for this service 

What do I do after my checkup?

At the end of your checkup, you'll have the chance to discuss your results and how to improve your scores, including where you can get support.

This could include talking about how to:

• improve your diet
• increase the amount of exercise you do
• lose weight
• stop smoking
• reduce the amount of salt in your diet
• reduce your alcohol intake
• reduce your cholesterol

You may also be referred to local services, such as stop smoking and physical activity services, to help you make any changes.

Every step you take towards a healthier lifestyle, even if it’s just a little one, will help improve your wellbeing, even if you start with just 10 minutes a day!