Annual Health Checks

What is an Annual Health Check?

Annual Health Checks are for people with a learning disability aged 14 and over, carried out by your doctor once a year. They are an opportunity to talk over any worries or concerns, to check your heart and blood pressure and create health action plans to keep you healthy, safe and well. All information about going for an annual health check can be found in this easy read health check guide.

Why is it good to get an Annual Health Check?

• You can get to know your doctor better
• You can get ideas about how to be more healthy
• If there is anything wrong, the doctor can sort it out before it gets worse

What happens at your Annual Health Check?

A doctor or nurse from your GP surgery may:

• Check your heart and blood pressure
• Ask about any medication you are taking
• Ask about the food you eat
• Check your blood and your wee
• Ask about how you are feeling

Top tips for Annual Health Checks

• You can bring someone with you if you want to
• Ask the doctor to explain anything you don’t understand
• Tell the doctor how you really feel. It will help them to help you
• Take your time
• You can say no if there is a part of the health check you do not want to do

Health Action Plans

• You can ask your doctor to give you a health action plan at your Annual Health Check
• This is written by you and your doctor
• Your health action plan tells you the things you need to do to stay healthy, and how to get the support you need with your health

People with a learning disability can check with their GP if they are on their learning disability register

People on the register will be offered the support needed to make things easier, like:
• Extra time and support during your appointment
• Easy read/accessible information
• Help to make an appointment  
• A full health check every year

To find out more, visit the Mencap webpage.

For more information on Annual Health Checks and to this information share wider, you can download this Easy Read Annual Health Check Guide.