Health Check

Why refer yourself for a health check? 

Everyone has a chance of developing heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, type 2 diabetes and certain types of dementia.

The NHS Health Check has been specifically designed to identify health risks, like the aforementioned, earlier. This is why it is so important to have your health checked. 

After your health check, you will be advised on the best action to take to lower any risks and create a healthier lifestyle. This could include anything from diet to exercise or even certain medicines to control blood pressure. 

Every year, the NHS Health Check is expected to help:

• Save 650 lives
• Prevent 1,600 heart attacks and strokes
• Prevent 4,000 people from developing diabetes
• Detect at least 20,000 cases of diabetes or kidney disease earlier

What will the health check cover?

It’s a 20-minute session where you will be given straightforward health tests such as measurements of weight, height and blood pressure. You will also be asked questions about your family’s medical history and your medical history and lifestyle. 

Who is eligible? 

Those between 40 and 74 years old will be invited to an NHS Health Check every five years, as long as they don’t have any of the following pre-existing conditions:

• 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
• Currently being prescribed statins to lower cholesterol
• Previous checks have found that you have a 20% or higher risk of getting cardiovascular disease over the next 10 years

If you are younger than the age bracket, you can still be referred to if there is particular concern about your health and current lifestyle choices.

How do I get booked in?

We have several options to get yourself booked into your Health Check:

Contact your GP surgery to book an appointment

If you’ve been invited to have a Health Check by your GP surgery in Essex, you can book in directly with them. Alternatively, if you are eligible for a Health Check and haven’t had one, you can contact them for an appointment.

Call us

You can call the Essex Wellbeing Service on 0300 303 9988 and one of our friendly team will book you into your preferred clinic.

Alternatively, call 0808 1750413 for Reed Wellbeing Clinics in Basildon, Chelmsford, Colchester, Rayleigh, Harlow or Loughton.

Email us

If you’d like to know more information, such as dates, times and locations or information about other local clinics, and where our mobile unit is due to be located you can email us at healthchecks@nhs.net.

Contact your local pharmacy 

The following pharmacies can book you into your Health Check:

North Essex

• Borno Chemists Ltd, Dovercourt – 01255 503755
• Queen Street Pharmacy, Colchester – 01206 541600
• GM Graham Pharmacies Ltd t/a Nayland Road Pharmacy, Colchester – 01206 852965
• GM Graham Pharmacies Ltd t/a Cavalry Pharmacy, Colchester – 01206 561778
• GM Graham Pharmacies Ltd t/a Prettygate Pharmacy, Colchester – 01206 575735
• GM Graham Pharmacies Ltd t/a Holland Pharmacy, Holland-on-Sea – 01255 812444
• GM Graham Pharmacies Ltd t/a Pier Avenue Pharmacy, Clacton-on-Sea – 01255 424318
• Prescriptions 2 You Healthcare Ltd, Clacton-on-Sea – 01255 689176
• GM Pharmacies t/a Connaught Avenue Pharmacy, Frinton-on-Sea – 01255 678362

Mid Essex

• Writtle Road Pharmacy, Chelmsford – 01245 349222
• Rivermead Pharmacy, Chelmsford – 01245 268141
• Shadforth Pharm Co. Ltd, Chelmsford – 01245 251496
• Melbourne Pharmacy, Chelmsford – 01245 355645
• Apple Tree Pharmacy, Chelmsford – 01245 467612
• Avicenna Pharmacy, Braintree – 01376 328983
• Borno Chemists (Great Square), Braintree – 01376 321135
• Borno Chemists Ltd, Witham – 01376 520052

South Essex

• Vanas Limited, Basildon – 01268 553403
• Great Berry Pharmacy, Basildon – 01268 544948
• AA Pharmacy, Basildon – 01268 520387
• Britannia Pharmacy, Basildon – 01268 553037
• Sach Chemist, Pitsea – 01268 553295
• C. Percy Ltd, Hockley – 01702 203867
• Cross Pharmacy, South Benfleet – 01268 793153
• Elora Chemists, South Benfleet – 01268 792506
• Benfleet Pharmacy, Benfleet – 01268 792310
• Ferry Pharmacy, Hullbridge – 01702 230303
• MS Chemists Ltd, Doddinghurst – 01277 822063
• PharmChoice Ltd, Brentwood – 01277 215809
• Burntwood Pharmacy, Brentwood – 01277 219728
• Shadforth Pharm. Co Ltd, Ingatestone – 01277 352125
• Shadforth Pharm. Co Ltd, Wickford – 01268 733313
• Shadforth (L. A. Garbett), Wickford – 01268 732042
• Shadforth Pharm. Co Ltd, Billericay – 01277 622927
• Shadforth Pharm. Co Ltd, Billericay – 01277 652241 
• Yardley Chemist, Rayleigh – 01268 743283

West Essex

• Easter Pharmacy, Buckhurst Hill – 020 8502 9997
• Glennon Chemists, Waltham Abbey – 01992 717145
• The Stow Pharmacy, Harlow – 01279 424049
• Theydon Bois Pharmacy, Theydon Bois – 01992 812130
• Newport Pharmacy, Newport – 01799 615096