Before attending a Norfolk NHS Health Check, Peter was living with multiple health conditions that affected his mobility and day-to-day wellbeing. Limited activity levels, the use of mobility aids and ongoing digestive health issues meant maintaining a healthy lifestyle was often challenging. Wanting to lose weight, improve his overall health and receive nutritional advice tailored to his circumstances, Peter decided to book an NHS Health Check.

“Due to my current health problems and limited activity levels, I wanted to try and lose some weight and get some nutritional advice that could help me improve my health. I've been living with multiple health conditions and use mobility aids, which means my ability to be active is limited. I also have digestive issues that restrict the variety of foods I can eat, making it difficult to maintain what many people would consider an ideal diet.”

The NHS Health Check is mainly aimed at lowering your risk of getting cardiovascular illnesses (diseases that affect the heart and blood vessels) such as heart disease and stroke. But the risk factors for heart disease and stroke are often the same as risk factors for other conditions, including preventable cancers and respiratory illness.

“In addition, I have a hiatus hernia and swallowing difficulties, which further limits my food choices and can make healthy eating more challenging. When I attended my NHS Health Check, I was hoping for some practical help and advice about how I could move forward and become healthier despite the barriers I face. After the appointment, I felt very positive about the options that were available to me. I was particularly interested in the support offered through Your Health Norfolk, especially the nutritional guidance and exercise opportunities available.”

“The exercise programme appealed to me because it includes support around falls prevention for older adults, which I felt could be beneficial given my mobility challenges. Jen completed a referral to Your Health Norfolk on my behalf because I don't have access to online services. When I hadn't heard anything after a couple of weeks, I contacted the team and Jen kindly followed this up for me. I'm pleased that I have now been contacted and can begin accessing the support available.”

“Looking ahead, my goal is to establish a routine and follow the guidance and advice I receive. Having a structured plan in place gives me confidence that I can make positive changes that are realistic and achievable for my circumstances. While there may be challenges along the way, I feel that with the right support there should be very few barriers to making progress.”

“The NHS Health Check provided more than just information about my health. It helped connect me with services that can support me moving forward and gave me confidence that there are practical steps I can take to improve my wellbeing and quality of life.”