What is the NHS’s midlife MOT and how can you book one?

Marie-Claire Dorking
·Contributor
·5-min read
New figures from the National Audit Office reveal less than half are taking up their midlife MOT health check. (Getty Images)
New figures from the National Audit Office reveal less than half are taking up their midlife MOT health check. (Getty Images)

As we age we know we should probably keep a better eye on our health, particularly our heart health. But, an NHS check, dubbed the 'midlife MOT', has seen fewer than half of eligible adults take part.

The check, introduced in 2009, was designed to help spot people at higher risk of common life-threatening illnesses although recent figures from the National Audit Office (NAO) has found just 44% of eligible adults attended one over the last five years.

Everyone aged 40 to 74 who does not have a pre-existing health condition should be invited for an NHS Health Check by their GP or local council every five years. However, in 2023/24, just five local authorities delivered health checks to all of those who could take part in the scheme. The lowest level of uptake in a local authority was 0.1%, according to the NAO report.

That's despite a recent study finding the midlife health MOT could help you live longer, with research by Oxford University revealing people who take up the offer to attend the check are 23% less likely to die young. They also had lower rates of dementia, kidney disease, liver cirrhosis and heart attack.

The check is a free check-up of your overall health and sees everyone aged over 40 assessed for their risk of developing a heart or circulatory condition such as heart disease, kidney disease, type 2 diabetes or stroke in the next 10 years.

Woman having a midlife MOT health check. (Getty Images)
The midlife MOT will take 20-30 minutes and will involve certain checks including blood pressure. (Getty Images)

Everyone aged 40-74 who does not have a pre-existing condition should be offered the NHS Health Check at least once every five years.

If you have any of the following pre-existing conditions the NHS says you're not eligible as you should be seen more frequently:

  • heart disease

  • chronic kidney disease

  • diabetes

  • high blood pressure (hypertension)

  • atrial fibrillation

  • transient ischaemic attack

  • inherited high cholesterol (familial hypercholesterolemia)

  • heart failure

  • peripheral arterial disease

  • stroke

  • currently being prescribed statins to lower cholesterol

  • previous checks have found that you have a 20% or higher risk of getting cardiovascular disease over the next 10 years

Each year, around 20% of people eligible for one of these checks are invited to come forward, with a view to reach the entire eligible population in a five-year cycle.

The NHS says it will be done by a healthcare professional, usually a nurse but it could also be a doctor, pharmacist or healthcare assistant.

The check takes about 20 to 30 minutes and usually includes:

  • measuring your height and weight

  • measuring your waist

  • a blood pressure test

  • a cholesterol test, and possibly a blood sugar level test, which is usually a finger-prick blood test

You’ll also be asked some questions about your health including:

  • whether any of your close relatives have had any medical conditions

  • if you smoke, and how much

  • if you drink alcohol, and how much

  • how much physical activity you do

During the check-up you'll discuss how to reduce your risk of the conditions mentioned above. If you’re aged over 65, you’ll also be told about symptoms of dementia to look out for.

Midlife woman having a health check. (Getty Images)
Those aged 40-74 are entitled to a midlife MOT health check. (Getty Images)

The NHS says you'll usually be given your results during the check. You'll be given your cardiovascular risk score of developing a heart or circulation problem, such as heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes or kidney disease, over the next 10 years.

Health professionals will tell the patient their level of risk, and depending on that risk, discuss how to improve your scores, including where you can get support.

The idea of the check is to try to lower your risk of getting conditions such as heart disease, stroke and kidney disease, particularly as many of the warning signs for these conditions, such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol, do not have symptoms.

The risk factors assessed during the health check are often shared by other conditions, including type 2 diabetes, preventable cancers and respiratory illness, so the check could help you lower you chances of developing these conditions too.

If you are at increased risk of the conditions you can discuss your options in terms of trying to improve your health.

The NHS says if you think you are eligible but have not been invited, contact your GP surgery to find out if they offer NHS Health Checks or click here to find out where you can get an NHS Health Check in your area. Some pharmacies also offer NHS Health Checks.

In July 2023 the Department for Work and Pension’s (DWP) launched a new online Midlife MOT designed to help older workers not only with their health guidance, but also with financial planning and assessing what their skills mean for their careers and futures.

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