NHS Health Check comorbidity and management: an observational matched study in primary care

BACKGROUND: The NHS Health Check programme completed its first 5 years in 2014, identifying those at highest risk of cardiovascular disease and new comorbidities, and offering behavioural change support and treatment.

AIM: To describe the coverage and impact of this programme on cardiovascular risk management and identification of new comorbidities.

DESIGN AND SETTING: Observational 5-year study from April 2009 to March 2014, in 139 of 143 general practices in three clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) in east London.

METHOD: A matched analysis compared comorbidity in NHS Health Check attendees and non-attendees.

RESULTS: A total of 252 259 adults aged 40-74 years were eligible for an NHS Health Check and, of these, 85 122 attended in 5 years. Attendance increased from 7.3% (10 900/149 867) in 2009 to 17.0% (18 459/108 525) in 2013 to 2014, representing increasing coverage from 36.4% to 85.0%. Attendance was higher in the more deprived quintiles and among South Asians. Statins were prescribed to 11.5% of attendees and 8.2% of non-attendees. In a matched analysis, newly-diagnosed comorbidity was more likely in attendees than non-attendees, with odds ratios for new diabetes 1.30 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.21 to 1.39), hypertension 1.50 (95% CI = 1.43 to 1.57), and chronic kidney disease 1.83 (95% CI = 1.52 to 2.21).

CONCLUSION: The NHS Health Check programme provision in these CCGs was equitable, with recent coverage of 85%. Statins were 40% more likely to be prescribed to attendees than non-attendees, providing estimated absolute benefits of public health importance. More new cases of diabetes, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease were identified among attendees than a matched group of non-attendees.