Many people with a private health insurance policy, or who take advantage of employee medical cover, decide to have a general health assessment at one of the country’s private medical centres. Despite claims published in a report ‘Making Sense of Testing’ by the charity Sense about Science, that such routine testing can make people more anxious about their health, 97% of people feel more reassured after the tests. The report says that although tests are not designed for people with a previously good general health, but it seems that many customers feel satisfied once their minds are put at rest.

The general health assessment examines many areas, for example the heart and lungs with tests on blood pressure and pulse measurement, an electrocardiogram, a general lung function examination which gives an overall cardiovascular risk assessment score, telling the patient how likely they are to become subject to conditions such as heart disease. Other tests include obesity indicators like body mass index (BMI), body fat percentage and a dietary assessment which, if dangerous levels are detected early, could prevent illnesses like diabetes and some cancers. Bowel cancer is screened for if a patient is over the age of 45 and hearing and sight are also tested, amongst other areas. Around a third of people with private health insurance who undergo an assessment discover a condition or illness that they were not previously aware of, meaning that they can get the care and treatment they need which may prevent it becoming life threatening or any worse than it should be.

Dr Andrew Vallance-Owen, Medical Director at BUPA, told the Health Insurance and Protection Magazine that medical assessments “provide people with plenty of time with a doctor to talk through test results and health concerns and discuss how to make positive lifestyle changes – in fact, three quarters of then actually do so. The role of a health assessment should be to help individuals feel positive about their health – not to make them worry about being ill.”