13-07-2024 Annual Health Checks

The Annual Health Check is important for anyone aged 14 and over who is on their doctor’s Learning Disability Register. It is intended to help individuals to stay well by talking to a doctor or nurse about their health to find any problems early, so that they can be sorted out. 

The NHS has a useful page here setting out the key facts about annual health checks including what should happen at the appointment, and there is also a helpful video here.

There is a useful easy-to-read leaflet from Mencap setting out this information which you can use to help your young person to understand what will happen.  

Key points to note:

o   Adults and young people aged 14 and over with a learning disability and who are on the doctor’s practice learning disability register should be invited by their doctor to come for an annual health check.

o   The Learning Disability Register is for individuals of all aged who have a learning disability. It lets staff at the GP practice know that a person has a learning disability and may need reasonable adjustments.

o   If you have not been offered an annual health check you can ask for one. If the doctors practice say no, you can ask your local community learning disability team to help you get one

o   The NHS has to make reasonable adjustments to help disabled people use health services. This could include things like providing information in easy read format, booking longer appointments, allowing a carer to be with you in your appointment, booking you an appointment at a less busy time (if you find it hard to be in a busy waiting room). There is a useful video here.

For more information see the presentation from our recent health conference here.