Council recommissions GPs to deliver key health services

NHS health checks offer screening to identify the early signs of poor health, allowing people to make important lifestyle changes, while sexual health services delivered by GPs enable people to access to a range of contraceptive choices.

Councillor Jasbir Jaspal, Wolverhampton Council’s cabinet member for public health and wellbeing, said: “Improving the health and wellbeing of Wolverhampton residents is one of the council’s top priorities and we are delighted to have been able to recommission these two important services for a further two years.

“We carried out a wide-ranging consultation last year, with over 1,700 responses. The vast majority of people told us they would rather access their GP for these types of services and, thanks to this £700,000 investment, they will be able to continue to do so.

“This is a real boost for local GPs, and means we are able to take these important services closer to our communities.”

All GP practices in Wolverhampton are signed up to deliver NHS health checks.

They are available to anyone aged 40-74 who does not have a pre-existing condition once every five years.

They enable GPs to help pick up problems like high blood pressure and high cholesterol at an earlier stage and to offer support to help patients go smoke free, reduce their alcohol consumption, manage their weight or increase their physical activity levels.

To find out more about NHS health checks, contact your GP or visit wolverhampton.gov.uk/nhs-health-check.

Online tools are also available to enable people to check and assess their health. For details, visit bit.ly/35NAr0S.

Meanwhile nine GP practices across the city, including Ashmore Park Health Centre, Mayfield Medical Centre, Castlecroft Medical Practice, Tettenhall Medical Practice, Whitmore Reans Medical Practice, Prestbury Medical Practice, East Park Medical Centre, Fordhouses Medical Centre and Newbridge Surgery, will deliver sexual health services.

The service includes long acting reversible contraception (LARC), methods of birth control that provide effective contraception that last for a long period of time and can be removed if necessary. In addition, those GP practices will also provide chlamydia and gonorrhoea testing.

These services are also available for people registered at a further 32 GP practices that form part of four primary care networks (PCNs) in the city, including The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust PCN, Wolverhampton North Network and East and West Unity PCNs.