The need for regular health checks is more important in your older years. Height, weight, and blood pressure should be monitored, and the need to update immunisation should be reviewed. Flu vaccine is currently offered to all people aged 65 years and over. Vision and hearing should be tested in the elderly.
For men, while current evidence does not indicate that screening asymptomatic men for prostate cancer would reduce mortality, the Department of Health's Prostate Cancer Programme has developed the Prostate Cancer Risk Management Programme. For women, the National Screening programmes for Cervical and
Breast cancer are currently in place.
In addition, the National Service Framework for Coronary Heart Disease requires General Practitioners to identify all people at significant risk of cardiovascular disease but who have not developed symptoms and offer them appropriate advice and treatment to reduce their risks. For more information on screening in adults, visit the
UK National Screening Committee’s web site.
