Report on the ‘Health MOT Roadshow’ Community Health Check Project

The NHS Health Check is a national screening programme targeting cardiovascular disease (CVD), the leading cause of death in the UK.
Effectiveness of the NHS Health Check is still under evaluation and no randomised controlled trial (RCT) has been undertaken to date. Current research results are largely inconclusive.

Initially low, programme uptake has been increasing in recent years, reaching nationally up to half of the eligible population.
While the research data gives a mixed picture, concerns have been raised about differential uptake among different demographic groups, including those living in more deprived areas. Area deprivation is known to correlate with higher CVD risk.
Public Health England, among other bodies, have called for further research into the impact and coverage of NHS Health Checks.
The ‘Health MOT Roadshow’ is a community-based health check programme consisting of outreach, referrals, and on-site Health MOTs as well as NHS Health Check. It is delivered by Wellbeing People, a Kent-based private sector company, in co-operation with statutory and third sector services.
Initial results from the project show promise in view of engaging hard-to-reach populations and improving service uptake at a competitive cost.