Why You Should Have An Annual Health Check

An Annual Health Check can be a very useful tool. If you are new to The Heriot Clinic, it is a great way for us to get to know you and to establish an understanding of your baseline health.

If you are a regular client, it is a great way for us to monitor and observe trends in

your health over time.

1. Screen you for a common condition you didn't know you had.

Irregular pulse (arrhythmia), high blood pressure (hypertension), high cholesterol (hypercholesterolaemia) and diabetes are classic examples of conditions that carry longer term health risks but may be causing you no symptoms.

2. A health screening can help to identify warning signs of more serious condition.

The finding of anaemia, for example, may flag up the need for investigations to exclude bleeding from your bowel.

3. Health screenings can help plan for future conditions. It can help us to estimate your risk of developing conditions such as heart disease and stroke, further down the track.

This can provide us with opportunities to initiate treatments to lower your risks.

4. A health screening can be a very helpful tool of motivation.

We can help you to identify aspects of your health and wellbeing that can be

improved upon. We can empower and motivate you towards change.

There is a balance to be struck with Health Screening. Just because you can have a

medical test does not mean that you should do it. There can be harms attached to over-investigation. Abnormalities can be identified that do not signify conditions. Conditions can be identified that would never cause you harm. These can provoke anxiety and cause harm through secondary investigations.

It is for this reason that we offer our Core Health Check. This is a judiciously selected

panel of assessments and investigations that seek to maximise benefit and minimise

harm. To this, on discussion, we can add selected additional tests that are relevant

to your needs.

If you would like to book a Core Health Check with us, please contact us using the form on the Health Check page, or by email. Whether you are beginning or continuing your health journey with us, we would be delighted to see you.