Health checks in general practice: the patient's response

With the advent of the new GP contract, the offering of health checks in general practice is on the increase. This paper assesses the patient's response to this development. Conducted in a single practice and including 872 patients aged between 30 and 41, the study assessed a number of different invitation letters to, and ways of giving feedback to patients at a health check in terms of the uptake of the service, patients' satisfaction ratings, and changes in patients' health beliefs. A number of important findings emerged. First, almost twice as many patients attended a health check when their invitation letter contained an appointment than when it contained an open invitation. Second, patients' satisfaction with their invitation letters and the information received at the health check was high. However, the health check appeared to increase patients' beliefs in the importance of health professionals in maintaining health. Overall though, the results suggested that the patient's response to the health checks was a positive one, and this may be important in promoting future uptake of preventive services and compliance with advice.