Reform UK Ltd is Bad for Your Health

24 Sep 2026

NHS Health Checks in Kent fall sharply as Lib Dems warn missed prevention could increase pressure on NHS and other council services.

Number of eligible 40–74-year-olds receiving checks drops by 28% compared with same point last year.

The number of eligible people aged 40–74 receiving an NHS Health Check in Kent has fallen sharply over the past year, prompting concerns that fewer people are being identified early as at risk of serious illness.

Figures being considered by Kent County Council’s Adult Social Care and Public Health Cabinet Committee show that the number of eligible residents receiving an NHS Health Check on a 12-month rolling basis has fallen by 9,155 (28%) compared with the same quarter last year.

The figures make NHS Health Checks one of only two Public Health performance measures currently rated Red by the council – meaning performance is below both the target and the minimum floor threshold.

The deterioration comes alongside a significant fall in activity during the latest quarter.

Between April and June 2026, just 4,677 NHS Health Checks were delivered, 1,154 fewer than the previous quarter, a fall of 20% in just three months. One key factor in this fall must be the substantial reduction in invitations being issued. 18,379 first invitations were sent during the quarter, compared with 22,898 in the equivalent period last year, a reduction of 4,519, or almost 20%.

Missed prevention can mean greater pressure elsewhere

NHS Health Checks identify people at increased risk of conditions including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, kidney disease and stroke. Early identification of these and other conditions mean increased quality of life, reduced burden on other services and productivity benefits to the economy.

Reduced numbers of health checks will have a significant effect on budgets for years to come.

Cllr Alex Ricketts, Kent County Council Liberal Democrat member of the Adult Social Care and Public Health Cabinet Committee, said:

“This is a serious failing on Reform's watch, meaning thousands of people aren't receiving health checks vital to their future health.

“Identifying health problems before they become serious is really important for peoples' quality of life, but it will also save the taxpayer money by reducing the burden on NHS and council services.

“This has to be rectified with the utmost urgency, with a plan to catch up on those who have missed out on the service."

Decline due service changes

The council's report acknowledges that the decline has been driven by changes to the way the service is being delivered.

These include:

the transition to new provider arrangements for the Health Checks Outreach Service;
the insourcing of programme management functions; and
the introduction of direct KCC contracts with GP practices from April 2026.

The report says these changes “impacted service capacity and activity levels”, contributing to the reduction in Health Checks delivered.

There are currently 111 GP practices fully signed up to deliver Health Checks. KCC says activity is expected to increase as the new arrangements become established, with a communications campaign planned to promote the new SMS invitation system.

Cllr Ricketts added:

“This issue was foreseeable, and preventable, but Reform has dropped the ball

"It's clear that the fall in the number of invitations sent closely matches the fall in the number of health checks carried out, a 20% drop in service levels is completely unacceptable.

"That we are only hearing about this now, with no clear plan to rectify the situation, is a cause for serious concern."

The council says the recent decline is linked to re-procurement activity and describes a temporary reduction in performance as typical during periods of mobilisation and change. The three items that followed on the agenda all concerned the re-procurement of different services, over the next year.

The Liberal Democrats are calling for immediate action to increase the number of health checks carried out, and an urgent review of the oversight of procurement activity.

The KPI is PH01: Number of the eligible population aged 40–74 years old receiving an NHS Health Check.
PH01 is currently rated Red, meaning it is below both the target and the floor threshold.
In Q1 2026/27, 4,677 NHS Health Checks were delivered, down 1,154 (20%) on the previous quarter.
18,379 first invitations were issued, compared with 22,898 in the corresponding period of the previous year – a fall of 4,519 (19.7%).
KCC attributes the reduction to changes involving the Outreach Service, programme management and GP contracting arrangements.
The council says there are currently 111 GP practices fully signed up and delivering Health Checks.
Health economic modelling published by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) indicates that for every £1 spent, the programme delivers a £2.93 return on investment – through improved health outcomes, reduced demand on healthcare services, lower social care costs and increased productivity.
a 2024 landmark study published by the National Institute for Health and Care Research. This real-world evaluation that drew on UK Biobank data from 48,602 individuals found that those who received an NHS Health Check had:
23% lower mortality over a 9-year follow-up
Lower incidence of heart attack, dementia, and liver cirrhosis
Higher diagnosis rates of diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol—denoting the opportunity to intervene early
These outcomes demonstrate how NHS Health Checks offer more than just short-term potential; they deliver long-term population-level benefits when implemented effectively.