I’m approaching a ‘milestone’ birthday. What health checks should I have at my age?

Haven’t had a health check in a while, or ever?

You’re not alone. Most people wait until they’re sick to see a GP, so there’s not usually much time in a consultation to discuss preventative health.

So, should you book a check-up with your GP just to discuss what you can do to stay well? And if so, what should you discuss? Knowing what to discuss can bring a sense of relief and preparedness.

It depends on your life stage, and receiving tailored advice can empower you to take control of your health.

In case you need them, here are some of the services we can offer:

• Family planning
• Management plans and care arrangements for chronic conditions
• Reviews of medications
• Plans for mental health care
• Health checks for newborns
• Health checks for 45-year-olds
• Assessments for the elderly
• Reviews of Asthma and Diabetes
• Shared care for pregnant women
• Cervical screening
• Vaccinations and immunizations
• Implantation of contraceptives
• Full-body skin examinations

Doctors won’t check you for everything

It’s important to remember that doctors won’t check you for everything, and that’s okay. Understanding these limitations can help you feel less worried and more informed.It may surprise you to learn that there is no evidence that a “general health check-up” improves health outcomes. 

Some preventive checks in low-risk and otherwise well-off patients have shown no benefit, including some blood tests and imaging investigations, such as whole-body CTs or MRIs for cancer screening.

As well as being a waste of your time and money, there is another concern with generic health screening: it may lead to overdiagnosis. For instance, conditions like mild high blood pressure or early-stage prostate cancer may be overdiagnosed. This results in additional tests, appointments, anxiety, drugs and even operations. Ironically, this can leave you less healthy.sults in additional tests, appointments, anxiety, drugs and even operations. Ironically, this can leave you less healthy.