Health Assessments in London

If you’re considering having a health assessment, we think you should know that there may be risks, as well as benefits, associated with any health check.

Risks and benefits

Regular health assessments can increase the chance of finding a health problem at an early stage, when treatment outcomes are usually better and sometimes involve quite simple steps.

However, some tests may rely on an opinion to interpret the results and also may not be 100% sensitive (e.g. mammography – not every cancer will be picked up by the test).

Screening cannot in itself stop you from getting health problems in the first place. Screening can also sometimes yield unclear results and occasionally also incorrect results (called ‘false positives’ or ‘false negatives’). This may mean tests are needed to help decide whether further treatment is needed.

There is also a small chance that screening may detect something that may not have needed treatment or which we cannot understand. This is commonly called ‘overdiagnosis’ in healthcare and it’s particularly true with some cancers, such as breast and prostate cancer, and may mean some people may receive treatment they may not have needed. However, on balance, many more people may have potentially life-saving treatment.

We understand that some tests (and sometimes getting the results) can cause some anxiety and we do all we can to make sure you’re well informed and advised at all times. You can always contact the doctor you saw after your assessment with any questions too.

If you’re considering having a health assessment and are concerned about any of the tests, or any aspect of your health, the best thing to do is speak to any doctor. You can also speak to any member of our team if you’d like an outline of the different tests we conduct at any time too, or any other help.

Although health screening may not always be a perfect science, we believe it can give you a good chance to understand your own health and give you useful, personal health advice.