Training to Support The NHS Health Checks Programme

The NHS Health Check Programme commenced in April 2009 to help prevent heart disease, stroke, diabetes, kidney disease and has included dementia awareness since 2013. Everyone between the ages of 40 and 74 who has not already been diagnosed with one of these conditions or has certain risk factors is eligible. The Programme ensures everyone is this eligible population is invited once every five years to have an NHS Health Check, and gives them support and advice to reduce or manage any identified risk.

To ensure that the programme's impact on the population is equitable and successful in each local authority and in each provider setting, Office for Health Improvements and Disparaties (OHID) has developed a framework of minimum competency standards to ensure a consistent and competent workforce. This will also contribute to the main driver of the NHS Health Check Programme to reduce health inequalities.

Staff delivering the NHS Health Check, and any subsequent discussion regarding risk and mitigating actions are expected to have face-to-face training and on-going clinical supervision. Technical competence alone is not enough; staff must be able to communicate appropriately with people particularly around risk. This consideration should be built into any model of training delivered.

The intended outcome of this Service will be a trained workforce which complies with the OHID Core Competencies and Technical Competencies required to undertake a NHS Health Check.