Barriers and facilitators to attendance of NHS Health Checks for vulnerable groups: a qualitative study

Abstract

Background: The objective was to qualitatively evaluate the commissioning of outreach services aiming to improve the experience, and reduce barriers to attendance of NHS health checks in vulnerable groups’ (adults with learning disabilities, a mental health condition, and BME women). Methods: We carried out focus groups with people from vulnerable groups (n=28) and support workers (n=5), which was analysed using framework analysis (Richie & Spencer, 1994). Findings: Themes fall under this main framework: awareness of the NHS health checks; facilitators of attending the health checks; barriers to attending health checks; experience of health checks; behaviour change; and conditions for independent access and positive experience. Discussion: Providing NHS health checks in the outreach units reduced barriers to attendance for BME women and people diagnosed with a mental health condition (different from doctor’s surgeries). For adults with learning disabilities, attendance had fewer barriers, so a positive experience during attendance was more important. NHS health checks can act as the first step towards behaviour change, with recommendations made as to how this can be achieved and maintained (e.g., commissioning follow up support).