THE NHS health check programme, offered by invitation through GP practices for people aged between 40 and 74, has been suspended by Devon County Council.

However, the checks will continue to be offered in Plymouth and Torbay, as they fall under a different local authority.

Devon County Council is blaming the cut on a poor public health funding settlement from the government, stating they had to find £2.5 million of savings from the department’s budget.

The public health grants are used towards paying for frontline NHS services, including health checks, sexual health, public health nursing, and drug and alcohol treatment.

Devon now receives a public health grant allocation equal to £38 per head, significantly less than the national average of £55 per head.

The health checks are billed on the NHS website as ‘a chance to get a free midlife MOT’ and involve GPs inviting patients in for a series of tests to detect early signs of diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease and stroke.

It is aimed at adults without a pre-existing condition, and includes checks on circulatory and vascular health.

One patient at the Norton Brook practice, who didn’t wish to be named, contacted the Gazette to say: ‘A lot of people need to be aware about this, as several problems can be picked up - such as diabetes and high blood pressure.

‘I don’t think people know this has happened, and don’t even know that there was an entitlement to have it

‘With these cuts, the risk of people having a stroke or heart attack may not be detected.’

According to the Department of Health, it is estimated nationally that NHS health checks prevent 1,600 heart attacks and strokes, at least 650 premature deaths and more than 4,000 new cases of diabetes each year.

The cuts arrive at the same time as the Office for National Statistics have announced the largest annual rise in deaths since the 1960s. With provisional analysis of death registrations in England and Wales showing a 5.6 per cent increase in deaths in 2015 - the biggest year-on-year percentage increase seen since 1967-68.

A spokesperson for Devon County Council explained: ‘The public health grant for 2016-17 and 2017-18 was published on 11 February - just six weeks from the start of the next financial year.

‘The 2016-17 allocation for Devon County is £28,952,000. In 2015-16 the public health grant was subject to a 6.4 per cent clawback, in year, and it is from this already reduced baseline that further reductions have been applied.

‘The impact nationally is a reduction of 2.2 per cent in 2016-17, a further 2.5 per cent in 2017-18 and 2.6 per cent in each of the two following years.

‘Devon County Council has the responsibility to fund additional services from this grant in 2016-17, including public health nursing, which transferred across during 2015-16.

‘Consequently this settlement represents a reduction of £2.5 million in cash terms.’ Totnes MP Dr Sarah Wollaston told the Gazette: ‘Parliament’s Health Select Committee, which I chair, is currently holding an inquiry into public health.

‘We have been hearing evidence on the changes to public health since the Health and Social Care Act as well as the impact of funding cuts.

‘Councils are having to make difficult choices about which public health services to prioritise and are looking at the evidence about whether there are better ways of spending limited resources to improve health than through routine health checks.’

Cllr Andrea Davis, Devon County Council’s cabinet member for health and wellbeing, said: ‘This year’s government grant represents a significant reduction to Devon’s public health budget, and substantial savings have had to be made.

‘In making these savings, our priority has been to protect public health services and programmes for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged people in Devon, and for children and young people.

‘We have had to make some very difficult decisions that have had an impact on public health services, but we have tried to mitigate the impact as much as possible.?‘We have suspended the five-year universal health check service from 31 March, and a review will be undertaken.

‘A targeted service will continue for people most at risk of vascular disease, or who do not routinely see their GP – for example routine and manual workers, people living in deprived communities, from ethnic minority groups or with mental health issues.?‘A new healthy lifestyle service is being established this year which will be available to support all adults and families, providing advice, information and support on healthy lifestyle.

‘We are also supporting the national Public Health England ‘one you’ campaign, which aims to support adults adopt a healthier lifestyle.’

Patients are able to check own blood pressure in many GP surgeries, if they are worried about not being able to access the free check.

If a high rate is detected, they can then talk to a nurse or GP for advice.

Basic health checks can also be performed at many chemists in the area, although there is usually a charge for these services.