Annual health checks (parents, carers - SEND)
If your young person is:
- over the age of 14
- on their doctor's learning disability register
it is important that they have an annual health check.
An annual health check can help them stay well by talking to a doctor or nurse about their health and finding any problems early, so they can be sorted out.
The young person does not have to be ill to have a health check – in fact, most people have their annual health check when they are feeling well.
If the young person is worried about the annual check or if there is anything that can be done to make the appointment better, let the doctor or nurse know. They can make changes to help you. These are called reasonable adjustments.
- Find out more about annual health checks in Mencap's easy read leaflet (PDF2.72Mb).
Further details are available in the sections below.
Check Misfits Theatre Company YouTube video on 'Health is everybody’s responsibility 270617'. Please note: if you access the video on YouTube the subtitles maybe auto generated. Some videos may not have subtitles and may autoplay.
Who can have an annual health check
Anyone aged 14 or over who is on their doctor's learning disability register can have a free annual health check once a year.
You can:
- ask your young person to be added on this register if you think they have a learning disability.
- check with your doctor's practice if your young person is on the register.
How will an annual health check help
Your young person will get to know your doctor better.
The doctor will also be able to spot any health problems sooner so that they get the treatment they need to stay well.
The young person can ask your doctor questions about their health and tell them how they feel.
They can also talk about any treatment they are having or medicine they use.
How do you get an appointment
Adults and young people aged 14 or over with a learning disability who are on the doctor's practice learning disability register should be invited by their doctor to come for an annual health check.
What happens during the annual health check
The young person might meet different health professionals. These might include a doctor, a pharmacist, a nurse or a healthcare assistant. They have all had extra training to be able to do the health check.
During the health check, the health professional will:
- do a physical check-up, including weight, heart rate and blood pressure
- may ask the young person for a urine sample or a blood test
- talk about staying well and if they need any help with this
- ask about things that can be more common if you have a learning disability, such as epilepsy, constipation or problems with swallowing (dysphagia), or with your eyesight or hearing
- talk to you about your medicines to make sure you are being given the right medicines when you need them
- check if vaccinations are up to date
- check how they feel if they have a health problem such as asthma or diabetes
- check if they have any other health appointments
- ask if the family or carers are getting the support they need
- help make sure that things go well when children move to adult services at the age of 18.
Sometimes people with a learning disability or autism are given medicines they may not need. This is sometimes called STOMP (Stopping The Over Medication of People with a learning disability, autism or both).
They will be asked for consent to share their health information with other health services to make sure they get the right support.
You or the young person's main carer may be able to do this if they are not able to.
The health professional can give health information, such as advice on healthy eating, exercise, contraception or stopping smoking.
Making reasonable adjustments
The NHS has to make it as easy for disabled people to use health services. This is called making reasonable adjustments.
The young person can ask the doctor if they need any reasonable adjustments, such as:
- using pictures, large print or simpler words to say what's happening
- booking longer appointments or having a parent/carer with them
- booking an appointment at the beginning or end of the day, if they find it hard to be in a busy waiting room.
The reasonable adjustments should be written down in a health profile or health action plan that the doctor or nurse can use.
Do you have to have an annual health check
No. The young person can choose if they want to have an annual health check or not.
They can ask the doctor or nurse for more information about annual health checks before they decide.
They will have to give consent before any tests or procedures.
What if my doctor does not offer the annual health check
Most doctors offer annual health checks to people with a learning disability. But they do not have to offer this service.
If your doctor's practice has not offered an annual health check, the young person can ask them for one. If they say no, they can ask the local community learning disability team to help them get one.
Is it the same as the NHS health check
No. The NHS health check programme is for all adults aged 40 to 74.
It checks if they are at risk of heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, diabetes and dementia every 5 years.
