Everyone is at risk of CVD, which continues to be the biggest killer in the UK today amongst working age people

• Almost 200,000 deaths per year
• One in three are premature deaths
• Half of these Coronary Heart Disease
• A quarter stroke

The good news is that these diseases can often be prevented or significantly delayed.

By having an NHS Health Check, personal risk can be assessed early and support to reduce that risk can be offered. This means that your staff will be healthier, more productive and cost your business less in sickness absence. Good health is good for business.

By contacting NHS Health Check providers i.e. Health Development Nurses in your local area, they;

• assist with coordinating delivery of NHS Health Checks at your workplace
• assist with promotion/signposting their NHS Health Check service in your workplace

If your workplace is interested in taking part in this programme in anyway please contact:  Joanna Taylor or Lucy Richards (Workplace Health Development Nurses) on 01273 294558

The check itself involves a standard assessment which will record basic information, such as height, weight, current medication, age, family history, smoking and blood pressure. They will also take a simple blood test for cholesterol.

After the assessment, individuals will be told about their level of risk of developing cardiovascular disease with the next 10 years and if necessary, offered personalised advice and support to lower their risk and maintain a healthy lifestyle, for example by:

• Having a healthy diet - Information and advice on eating a healthy balanced diet, including guides on how to lose weight and feel healthy without giving up all the things we all love, including information on assisted weight management programmes.
• Stopping smoking - Information, advice and guidance to stop smoking and start living, including a referral to a stop smoking service.
• Taking regular physical activity - Information on the importance of doing activities that get the heart beating faster. This will include contact details for local walking groups, community sports facilities, advice to help you get going and information on cycle routes in your local area.

The results of the check will be passed to your GP regardless of which health professional carries out the assessment.

To read more about what an NHS Health Check involves, please go to www.nhs.uk/nhshealthcheck