Johnson outlines £250m health check plan

Alan Johnson has announced plans for 'health MoTs' for people aged between 40 and 74.

The 'national vascular check programme' could prevent up to 9,500 heart attacks and strokes every year and save some 2,000 lives, said the health secretary.

Official estimates suggest that a vascular check programme would prevent 4,000 people a year from developing diabetes.

And at least 25,000 cases of diabetes or kidney disease could be detected earlier, allowing cases to be better managed and improving outcomes.

Implementation will begin in 2009/10, with annual costs thought to be around £250m a year including the cost of the checks as well as the care likely to result from the checks.

"The case for a national programme of vascular checks is compelling," said Johnson.

"We could prevent 9,500 heart attacks and strokes every year and save 2,000 lives.

"It would also reduce the health inequalities that blight the lives of the country's most deprived families.

"The NHS is becoming more personal and responsive to individual needs; becoming as good at prevention and keeping people healthy as it is at providing care and cures; and able to offer the information and support people need to make healthy choices."

The government said the checks would be based on straightforward questions and measurements such as age, sex, family history, height, weight and blood pressure and would also include a blood test to measure cholesterol.

Each person will receive a personal assessment report, setting out their level of risk and how they could reduce it.

Those at highest risk could receive preventative medication with statins or blood pressure treatment.