Auditing the quality of annual health checks

Discussion
1

In 2011 IHaL published an audit tool designed to be used locally to help people evaluate the quality of current practice with regard to providing annual health checks for adults with learning disabilities, and to identify ways in which current practice could be improved. This can be found at http://www.improvinghealthandlives.org.uk/gsf.php5?f=11431

We are looking to update this audit tool and would like to know if anyone can share examples of using it to evaluate annual health checks in their area. We are also keen to see examples of work looking at the quality of annual health checks that used other approaches or tools.

Please send any information to anna.marriott@ndti.org.uk

2

Hi AnnaMarriott
Thanks for sharing this audit tool. I think it is very helpful.
I’m concerned that this type of audit isn’t a mandatory requirement from NHS England given that they are commissioning the health checks. The only national figures I ever see recorded are related to numbers attending for health checks, not the quality. I feel that whilst this information can be useful locally for information purposes, it is likely to be difficult to improve practice if NHS England are paying for health checks that don’t meet the minimal requirements.
Do you have any thoughts on this?

3

Hi

Thank you for raising this important issue. I do agree with you that there is a need to address the quality of annual health checks as well as the quantity. We hope that an updated audit tool (reflecting the changes there have been) will be useful for local areas in thinking about the quality of annual health checks. We will be working with NHS England on the development of this audit tool as well as on a national template for the annual health checks.

Best wishes

Anna