Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to ensure that older people are able to access health checks on request.

Practices must ensure that each of its registered patients is assigned a named general practitioner (GP). For registered patients aged 75 years old and over, the named GP is required to respond to the patient’s needs in a timely manner and ensure the patient receives a routine health check if requested where the patient has not received one in the previous 12 months.

In response to updated advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation on 3 December 2021, measures were announced to increase capacity in general practice to deliver an expanded COVID-19 vaccine programme. This includes allowing practices to defer routine annual health checks for new patients and patients aged 75 years old and over until April 2022, where practices consider this clinically appropriate. GP practices should continue to meet the reasonable needs of all registered patients, including those aged 75 years old and over. This includes providing necessary appointments and referrals.