A new project aimed at preventing heart disease will deliver free workplace health exams to over 130,000 workers in England over the course of the next six months.
Employees in a number of industries, such as construction and hospitality, will have access to rapid evaluations starting in September that will ascertain their risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), which raises the possibility of heart attacks and strokes.
Eligibility will be limited to anyone between the ages of 40 and 74 without specific heart disease-related pre-existing diseases.
The government claims that these inspections will help reduce waiting lines and save hundreds of hours of NHS staff time.
The goal of the program is to expand the quantity of NHS Health Checks, which were initially conducted in 2009.
Getty Images An anonymous man gets his blood pressure takenGetty Images
Men especially are being urged to get the tests as they are more likely to develop cardiovascular disease at an earlier age than women
More than 130,000 people in England will be offered free workplace health checks in the next six months under a new initiative to try and prevent heart disease.
From September, employees in several sectors including building and hospitality will be able to access quick assessments that will determine their risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD), which can cause heart attacks and strokes.
Those aged between 40 and 74 who do not have certain pre-existing conditions linked to heart disease will be eligible.
According to the government, these checks will save thousands of hours of NHS time and will help to cut waiting lists.
The scheme is an effort to increase the number of NHS Health Checks, first introduced in 2009, that are carried out.
As well as targting heart disease, the programme aims to prevent diabetes and kidney disease, as well as some cases of dementia among adults.
Health minister Andrew Gwynne said that while over 16 million people were eligible for the check, current data showed only 40% went on to complete one.
"This is especially true for men, who are less likely to get early help but who are more likely to develop cardiovascular disease at an earlier age than women," he said.
"This new programme aims to reach more people through their place of work and make it more convenient for people to understand and improve their cardiovascular health."
People taking part will be required to answer a short lifestyle questionnaire; have their height, weight, and waist measured; undergo a blood pressure test; and have a simple blood test to measure cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
The checks will also record key information including smoking status; family history of coronary heart disease; and cholesterol level.They are part of government efforts to boost economic growth in the UK by improving healthcare.
Medical examinations can save lives. Heart disease, cancer, Type 2 diabetes, and liver disease are just a few of the ailments they can shield individuals from getting "according to Louise Gittins, chair of the Local Government Association.
Additionally, testing for a digital version of the NHS Health Check is scheduled for the following year.The London borough of Lambeth, the councils of Norfolk and Medway, have all agreed to participate in the trial.
In its first four years, the program is expected to deliver one million checks, and after that, it will be implemented nationwide in conjunction with in-person examinations.
In England, CVD is a major cause of death and disability.According to NHS, it is responsible for 1 in 4 deaths in England.
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