Preparing for adulthood

People with a learning disability have worse health than people without a learning disability and are more likely to experience a number of health conditions. This does not have to be the case. If you are an adult or young person over the age of 14 with a learning disability your GP will offer you an annual health check.

You do not have to be ill to have a health check – you should have an annual health check even if you are feeling well.

An annual health check helps people with a learning disability to stay well by talking about their health and finding any problems early, so they get the right care and prevent further problems.

An annual health check should include an opportunity to talk about anything which is worrying you about your physical or mental health.

The approach to annual health checks will vary from practice to practice - some appointments may now be over the phone, via online consultations or face to face. You can talk to your GP about what type of appointment is best for you and any reasonable adjustments you need to attend the appointment. Annual health check appointments tend to last around 30 to 40 minutes.

If you think you or someone you know should be on the GP learning disability register, speak to your GP about this.

Mencap have created an easy read guide to annual health checks.

You can also read more about annual health checks for people with learning disabilities on the NHS website.