What is a Learning Disability Annual Health Check?
Anyone aged 14 years old and over who is on their doctor's learning disability register can have a free Annual Health Check once per year. The register is for patients with a learning disability who are entitled to a free Annual Health Check.
All GP surgeries across Derby & Derbyshire have a register for learning disabilities and provide annual health checks. Your doctor’s surgery should invite all people with a learning disability who are eligible for an Annual Health Check each year. You will receive a letter in the post to invite you to an Annual Health Check, so make sure your details are up to date with your GP. You can ask to go on the ‘Learning Disabilities’ register if you are over 14 years old and think you have a learning disability. You do not need an official diagnosis to go on the learning disability register. Your GP and Learning Disability (LD) team will be able to check if you are eligible.
You don’t need to be ill to get a health check, but you can ask your doctor or nurse about anything while you are there to help you stay healthy. The Annual Health Check is a head-to-toe health check performed by your doctor or nurse. The doctor or nurse will ask lots of question about how you are feeling. The Annual Health Check happens every year at your doctor's surgery. The appointment will need to be at least 30 minutes long but may last a little longer. At the end of your Annual Health Check, you will get a Health Action Plan that tells you how to stay healthy. Annual Health Checks are still available and should still be attended, even if you feel healthy.
What is a Health Action Plan?
The doctor or nurse will give you a Health Action Plan at the end of your Annual Health Check appointment. The Health Action Plan will be written in a way that you can understand. Your doctor or nurse will explain what your health needs are. The Health Action Plan will tell you what you need to do to stay healthy, such as exercise, eating healthy, or making another appointment. The plan should tell you who is going to help you to stay healthy, this might include your doctor, nurse or carer. The plan should have a date when it should be looked at again. If the plan should be looked at on another date, it will be useful to ask if you have an appointment booked.
What happens at a Learning Disability Annual Health Check appointment?
You should attend the doctor's surgery on the confirmed date and time of your appointment. Your doctor's surgery may ask to do part of your Annual Health Check on the telephone or by video call. Your doctor's surgery may ask you to bring a sample of urine.
The doctor or the nurse may check your:
- Blood pressure,
- weight,
- height,
- heart,
- eyes,
- ears,
- feet,
- stomach,
- lungs.
The doctor or nurse may also ask you about:
- The medications you are taking,
- the food you eat,
- your lifestyle,
- the exercise you do,
- if you are having any problems going to the toilet,
- how you are feeling,
- tests you can have to check for cancer,
- your COVID-19 vaccine and flu vaccine,
- any other historic or future health appointments you may have.
At the appointment, your doctor or nurse may do some extra tests if they think you need them. These may include a blood test, or a urine test. Based on the outcome of your Annual Health Check, your doctor or nurse may refer you to see someone else. You will also be given a Health Action Plan which will tell you what you need to do to stay healthy. The doctor or nurse may give you the Health Action Plan in an easy read format.
Top tips for your Learning Disability Annual Health Check
- You can take your carer or your family member, or anyone else that you trust to your Annual Health Check appointment.
- Don't feel rushed, and take your time.
- Tell the doctor or nurse if there is anything that is hurting, or if anything worries you about your health.
- Remember to bring any health information or charts you want to show to the doctor or nurse.
- Remember to ask the doctor or nurse for a Health Action Plan at the end of the check up.
- Remember to ask your doctor or nurse to explain things you cannot understand.
- Remember to bring your old Health Action Plans, if you have them.
How to book your Annual Health Check Appointment
Your doctor's surgery will phone you or send you an appointment letter to let you know about your appointment date and time. Your Annual Health Check appointment will take place at your doctor's surgery on a date and time that is good for you. Your doctor's surgery may send you an easy read health check questionnaire before your appointment. You and your carer can fill this questionnaire and bring it with you when you go to your Annual Health Check appointment.
You or your carer should contact your doctor's surgery before your Annual Health Check appointment to let them know if you have any specific requirements or if you need any reasonable adjustments.
Find your GP
To find your GP and see the services they provide, visit:
Find a Derbyshire General Practitioner (GP)
Find a Glossop General Practitioner (GP)
Easy Read Guides
The information from this page can be downloaded in the form of easy read guides.
These guides are prepared and published by the Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.
What is a Learning Disability Annual Health Check?
What is a Health Action Plan?
What happens at an Annual Health Check?
Top tips for your Annual Health Check Appointment
How to book your Annual Health Check Appointment
Who can get an Annual Health Check?