Time to get serious about men’s NHS health checks
The Government’s consultation on the forthcoming plan for men's health names cardiovascular disease a “big killer” and a priority for improvement. It’s not hard to see why. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death among men in England, and men are more likely than women to die prematurely from it.
Heart and circulation disease is one of the leading causes of death in England, and men are especially at risk. The government’s upcoming Men’s Health Strategy has already highlighted that it is a “big killer” and needs much more attention.
The numbers show why. In 2023, around 38,000 people under the age of 75 in England died from heart and circulation disease. About 26,000 of those deaths, which is more than two-thirds, were men.
Where people live and their financial circumstances also have a big impact. In Yorkshire and the Humber, the rate of people under 75 dying from heart and circulation disease is among the highest in England. Younger adults are affected too. People aged 25 to 44 in the north of England are 47% more likely to die from heart and circulation disease than people the same age in the south.
These deaths are also the single biggest reason why people in poorer areas live shorter lives than those in wealthier areas.
How the NHS health check works
Introduced in 2009, the NHS health check should be offered every five years to adults aged 40–74 without a pre-existing long-term condition. However, our findings below indicate that this is not happening for all men.
The check is usually carried out by a nurse at a GP practice/surgery and includes checks on blood pressure, weight, cholesterol, and sometimes blood sugar. The results are used to calculate your risk of developing cardiovascular disease, and you may be given lifestyle advice, referred to your GP, or offered treatment.
While longer term outcomes data is needed, research shows the programme helps detect risk factors earlier and reduces cardiovascular disease risk overall. It’s commissioned by local authorities (locally, North Yorkshire Council) and funded through public health budgets.
The data gap
While the NHS publishes overall data on uptake of the health check, it hasn’t published a breakdown of uptake by sex for five years, despite men’s higher risk of cardiovascular. The last figures, from 2017 to 2018, showed women were more likely to attend than men (44% vs 38%).
Our research aimed to plug this gap, especially after a committee of MPs earlier this year criticised the lack of demographic data on health check attendance.
Listening to men
To understand what men want from health services and where the gaps are, we commissioned a nationally representative survey. In June 2025, Savanta polled 7,407 adults in England (3,575 men and 3,832 women) about their experiences, attitudes, and perceptions of health and care services.
This included a specific question asked only of respondents aged 40-74 and without a long-term health condition, who comprise those who would be eligible for an NHS health check invitation. They made up 988 (unweighted) of the total men polled and their answers reveal some concerning findings:
- The NHS and councils are failing to offer the NHS health check to all eligible men.
- There are also worrying gaps in awareness and uptake.
However, the research also includes findings that provide optimism. There are encouraging signs, for example, that when men attend the NHS health check they value the experience and are more likely to attend another in the future.
What men told Healthwatch
The Healthwatch survey found
- Only 37% said they had ever been invited for an NHS health check. Only 31% had been invited in the past five years.
- Invitations were slightly more common in towns and cities (32% in the last five years) than in rural areas (21%).
- 59% of men knew about the programme, but fewer than 10% could correctly say who is eligible.
- Of those invited, about 60% went to every check they were offered. Most rated the experience positively.
- Looking ahead, 69% of men said they would probably go to a check in the future. That figure rose to 85% among men who had already been invited before.
Digging into data
Inequalities in uptake
Some groups of men were less likely to say they’d attend in future, including:
- Men struggling financially (63%)
- LGBTQI+ men (62%). These are men who are gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, or intersex or identify differently.
- Younger men aged 18–24 (59%)
Drivers of attendance
Men told us they’d be more likely to attend if:
- They received a call from their doctor at their GP (41%) or another member of staff at their GP surgery (31%)
- They had information about the health xheck before age 40 (23%)
- They could do some tests at home (22%)
- Get results virtually (18%).
Younger and ethnic minority men were more likely to be persuaded by receiving information about the health check at their workplace, hearing a public figure share their experience attending an NHS health check, flexibility and early awareness.
Healthwatch calls for change
The NHS health check is a key prevention tool, but only if men are invited, know what it’s for, and feel motivated to attend. Healthwatch research shows:
- Awareness drives attendance
- Positive experiences lead to repeat visits
- Direct encouragement from trusted sources makes a difference.
The Government’s 10-Year Health Plan for England places prevention as one of its three top priorities for NHS reform. So Healthwatch is urging the Government to include the following recommendations in its men’s health strategy:
- Launch a national awareness campaign targeting men, so they know what the NHS health check is for, when they’re eligible and why it’s essential for them to attend. It should take advantage of information through the NHS App and by text message.
- Ensure that all eligible men are invited for a health check every five years. There is no accurate national data on how many people are invited to attend the health check. The Government should collect data on who is being invited for health checks to ensure local authorities comply with their duties to arrange these under legislation.
- Ensure that the Department of Health has meaningful levers it can use to drive improved uptake of health checks for men, particularly among the groups at highest risk of developing cardiovascular disease. The Government stated earlier this year that it is to review the relative value of commissioning health checks through local authorities against alternative commissioning routes. However, regardless of commissioning routes, stronger direction and oversight are needed from the Government to improve take-up rates and consistency across England.
- Tailor conversations to younger men, ethnic minority men, and those in deprived areas. As part of this, the NHS health check communications should be updated to include how they will reach the groups most at risk of cardiovascular disease.
- Collect and publish demographic-specific uptake data to track progress in taking up health check invitations. This will provide a clear starting point for asking why certain men are less likely to take up invitations.
About the poll
The survey was done by a company called Savanta in June 2025. The total sample size was 7,426 (3,575 men and 3,832 women).
After statistical adjustment, the total sample size was 7,407 people (3,588 men and 3,819 women).
The figures used in the article are based on men nationally, and on those men who are eligible for the NHS health check.
