Borough is a top Health Check performer

Rochdale Borough is a top Health Check performer

Rochdale Borough has placed 16th out of a total of 353 local authorities in England and fourth of 23 in the North West for the number of residents receiving NHS Health Checks in figures published by Diabetes UK.

The NHS Health Check programme aims to help prevent heart disease, stroke, diabetes, kidney disease and certain types of dementia. And checks for people between the ages of 40 and 74 years are an important and integral part of Type 2 diabetes prevention.

In the first nine months of 2013-14, local authorities across England have offered Checks to 13.2 per-cent of the eligible population, and more than half of local authorities have offered Health Checks to 15 per-cent of the eligible population or above.

Between March and December of last year, 9.8 per-cent of Rochdale Borough’s eligible population received checks.

Rochdale Borough Council Leader and Lead Member for Health, Councillor Colin Lambert, said: “To place so highly on a regional and national level is a great reflection of our efforts, but we are very much aware of the hard work still ahead. The NHS Health Check is one of the best new health initiatives seen in recent years and has the potential to prevent thousands of cases of Type 2 diabetes and identify many people with undiagnosed Type 2.”

Dr Chris Duffy, GP and Chair of NHS Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale CCG, said: “I would encourage everyone invited for a health check to take this opportunity, to help them live well for longer. Anyone could potentially be at risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, kidney disease and certain types of dementia, but the good news is that they can often be prevented, even if you have a history of them in your family. If you are invited to a health check please attend as it is important that any issues are identified at an early stage. Small, long-lasting lifestyle changes can make a huge difference to your health and wellbeing.”

Everyone between the ages of 40 and 74, who has not already been diagnosed with one of these conditions or have certain risk factors, will be invited (once every five years) to have a check to assess their risk of heart disease, stroke, kidney disease and diabetes and will be given support and advice to help them reduce or manage that risk.

Visit www.healthcheck.nhs.uk for more information.