PRSB has been commissioned by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) to help define who should be invited for an NHS Health Check. This builds on our previous work developing an information standard for NHS Health Check data, which supports accurate patient flagging, effective follow up and evaluation, and helps reduce the administrative burden on NHS staff.

The new project focuses on making sure invitations reach the right people. This means avoiding inviting individuals who are already receiving regular care for other conditions, and focusing on those who may not currently be in the system, particularly people who don’t typically engage with health and care services.

It will define a clear, standardised set of searches for use in GP systems. These will use agreed SNOMED CT codes and criteria to help identify people who do not need an NHS Health Check, as well as those who may otherwise be missed.

At the moment, NHS Health Checks are often delivered differently across the country. By developing a consistent national approach, we want to ensure people are identified and treated in the same way wherever they live. The work will also bring together existing tools and code sets to support consistency and help reduce variation.

PRSB will carry out engagement activity as part of the project. This will begin with targeted discussions with those involved in creating NHS Health Check cohorts, followed by a broader consultation on the proposed approach. The project will run for approximately six months, from consultation through to publication.

If you’d like to find out more or get involved, please contact info@theprsb.org.

“There is a large group of people who don’t regularly engage with health services, and this work will help reach them, so they’re not overlooked. It will identify those not yet invited for a health check and will avoid unnecessary invitations, streamlining the process and reducing admin for health and care staff.”
Steve Bentley, Clinical Lead at Professional Records Standards Body (PRSB)

Further information about the NHS Health Check standard is available on our webpage.