Working closely with clinicians and our Primary Care Networks (PCNs), we have developed a targeted ‘Enhanced Health Check’ (EHC) programme which complements the standard NHS health checks and focusses on closing health inequality gaps by targeting the most vulnerable people and those living in our most disadvantaged communities.

As well as mirroring the standard health check approach which helps to prevent and detect heart disease, stroke, diabetes, kidney disease, and other conditions that we become more at risk of developing with age, the enhanced health check incorporates a focus on the wider determinants of health and links closely with social prescribing and VCFSE organisations to provide people with holistic support and advice to that addresses physical health, mental health and overall wellbeing.

The aim of the enhanced health check programme is to reduce health inequalities within groups who statistically experience poorer health outcomes. Our initial focus is on reaching those who live in our 20% most disadvantaged communities and/or those who live with a serious mental illness.

Part of our approach is recognising that access to services can me more difficult for people living in our most disadvantaged neighbourhoods and for people with a serious mental illness, so our approach to enhanced health checks includes focus on reaching out into communities and delivering the health checks in settings that work for local people.

To date, more than 3800 enhanced health checks have been completed across Lancashire and South Cumbria.

If you live in Lancashire and South Cumbria and want to know more about enhanced health check programme, you can read our frequently asked questions.