Many private GP services offer “health checks” and “MOTs”, in which you pay a fixed price and have a set panel of blood tests and other checks. Here at Formby GP, we don’t offer set “MOT” packages – why not?
The problem with one-size-fits-all “health checks” is that research evidence actually shows that they don’t work. There is actually a Cochrane Review – the highest-grade evidence there is – which shows that “health checks” do not reduce patients’ risk of death from all causes, do not reduce patients’ risk of dying from cancer, and have little to no effect on heart disease outcomes.
Furthermore, there is actually a risk that generic “health checks” can do more harm than good. Whenever we do tests, there is a risk of false positives or other “red herrings”, which can result in patients having unnecessary tests and treatment, as well as causing a lot of worry and stress. There is also the risk that a patient with symptoms may be falsely reassured by normal test results. This is why it is best practice only to do tests when they are needed – such as if a patient has symptoms of an illness, or certain risk factors, or a relevant family history.
That’s why, if you contact Formby GP requesting a health check, we will advise you to book a GP appointment first. Patients almost never request a health check for absolutely no reason – perhaps you’re feeling tired and run down, or you’ve gained some weight recently, or your brother had a heart attack last year and you’re worried it’ll be your turn next. In your GP appointment, we will discuss any symptoms you have, your family history, your risk factors for illness, and we can explore anything that is worrying you. Then we can agree together on a plan, including any tests you need.
This approach often saves our patients money, as you don’t get charged for lots of unnecessary tests. But more importantly, it means you get a better standard of care.
This is why we describe Formby GP as “ethical”; our top priority is doing the right thing for our patients, rather than doing what is easiest for us or makes us the most profit.
If you’re worried about your health and would like to talk to one of our friendly GPs, you can book an appointment online:
Reference:
https://www.cochrane.org/CD009009/EPOC_general-health-checks-reducing-illness-and-mortality