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All Scots who turn 40 are to be invited for a health check under a scheme to be rolled out across the country next week.
The “Life begins at 40” initiative lets people assess their own health and lifestyle online or over the phone. They will then be given information tailored to their needs, and directed to relevant local or national services.
The scheme is part of a raft of measures to improve the health of over-40s. These include universal “heart MOTs” proposed by the Scottish Government last year, involving a face-to-face assessment of heart health, to see if a universal approach is feasible. This approach is to be piloted from this year, with around 20,000 people expected to take part in the first instance.
Meanwhile “Keep Well”, which specifically targets people in poorer communities, is being extended to all deprived areas from next year, covering an additional 30,000 people.
Today’s announcement follows a successful pilot of “Life begins at 40” which took place in Grampian last year. This year, around 74,000 Scots who have recently turned 40 will be contacted and asked to take part.
Public health minister Shona Robison said that it was about investing in the health of the Scottish people. “We don’t just want to treat people who are ill, we want to make sure people stay healthy,’ she said.
She said the range of activity, including heart MOTs and Keep Well, would offer a “co-ordinated and complementary programme of preventative health checks”.
George Crooks, NHS 24’s medical director, said that turning 40 was a “significant milestone” and could traditionally be a time for making new lifestyle choices. “Many people may be reflecting on their past and considering what’s ahead of them,” he said. “It’s an ideal, positive time for people to start thinking more about a healthy future.”
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