Boosting uptake of NHS Health Checks in Medway

ISRCTN	ISRCTN66757664
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN66757664
Secondary identifying numbers	N/A

Submission date: 28/03/2014
Registration date: 25/06/2014
Last edited: 29/03/2016

Recruitment status: No longer recruiting
Overall study status: Completed
Condition category: Other

Prospectively registered

Protocol

Statistical analysis plan

Results

Individual participant data

Plain English summary of protocol

Background and study aims
The NHS Health Check programme has been set up to help prevent heart disease, stroke, diabetes, kidney disease and some types of dementia in the general population. Everyone aged 40 to 74 and not either already diagnosed with one of these conditions, or have certain risk factors, will be sent an invite once every 5 years to attend an appointment to check on their risk of developing these diseases. They will be then given support or advice on how to manage or reduce such risks. The programme is a policy priority for the Department of Health, NHS England, Public Health England and local authorities in their efforts to tackle premature death and promote healthy lifestyles. However, the number of people who join the programme are significantly lower than desired, at around 50 per cent. Local authority commissioners of the NHS Health Check currently use a range of different letters and marketing to encourage those eligible to attend. However, there has not, to date, been any robust research into what type of letters or marketing strategies will are most likely to lead to an increase in the number of people taking part in the programme. There is compelling evidence in the field of behavioural science to suggest that a low cost intervention within the content of the invitation letter or a reminder text message may be effective at changing peoples behaviour. The purpose of this study is to determine what type of patient invitation letter would be most likely to successfully encourage people to enrol on the NHS Health Check programme. The results will be used to help promote the uptake of Health Checks.

Who can participate?
Those eligible for an NHS Health Check in the Borough of Medway during the duration of the trial.

What does the study involve?
This study will test whether a number of small, low-cost changes to the invitation process for Health Checks can increase uptake. Patients will be randomly allocated to receive the usual letter of invitation (control) or a new, shorter, action focused letter which includes a commitment slip (intervention). Analysis will be able to investigate whether there is any interaction between letters and text messages.

What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
There are no risks to participants. The standard NHS leaflet explaining the risks of attending a Health Check, or not, is including in both the control and intervention letters.

Where is the study run from?
GP surgeries at the Borough of Medway (UK)

When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
May 2013 to September 2013

Who is funding the study?
The Department of Health (UK)

Who is the main contact?
Annabelle Bonus
Annabelle.Bonus@dh.gsi.gov.uk

Contact information

Ms Annabelle Bonus
Scientific

Richmond House
79 Whitehall
London
SW1A 2NS
United Kingdom

Study information

Study design	Multicentre quasi-randomised controlled trial
Primary study design	Interventional
Secondary study design	Randomised controlled trial
Study setting(s)	GP practice
Study type	Prevention
Participant information sheet	There is no patient information material associated with this trial.
Scientific title	Using behavioural insights to change uptake of the NHS Health Check
Study objectives	Does making small, low-cost changes, based on behavioural insight, to the NHS Health Check invitation process change levels of uptake?
Ethics approval(s)	NHS Health Research Authority NRES committee, 17/05/2013, ref. 13/NW/0399
Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied	NHS Health Checks
Intervention	Patients in participating practices who are due to be invited to a health check are randomly allocated. This is a simple randomization done locally by each practice once a month. This part of the trial has two arms. The letter variations include: 1. National template (control) 2. Shorter, simpler letter with action focussed language and a commitment slip
Intervention type	Other
Primary outcome measure	Uptake of the NHS Health Check
Secondary outcome measures	Not provided at time of registration
Overall study start date	01/05/2013
Completion date	30/10/2013

Eligibility

Participant type(s)	Patient
Age group	Adult
Sex	Both
Target number of participants	3511
Key inclusion criteria	Any patient registered at a consenting GP practice in Medway during the trial duration who is due to be invited for an NHS Health Check. Patients aged between 40-74 are invited to attend for a Health Check via an invitation letter sent to the address held in their medical records. Invitation letters and leaflets are sent once a year to those identified as eligible.
Key exclusion criteria	Participants will only be excluded if they are no longer eligible for an NHS Health Check at their GP's surgery, for example, if they have had one at a local pharmacy already.
Date of first enrolment	01/05/2013
Date of final enrolment	30/10/2013

Locations

Countries of recruitment

England
United Kingdom

Study participating centre

Department of Health

London
SW1A 2NS
United Kingdom

Sponsor information

Department of Health (UK)
Government

c/o Tabitha Brufal
Richmond House
79 Whitehall
London
SW1A 2NS
United Kingdom

"ROR"	https://ror.org/03sbpja79

Funders

Funder type

Government

Department of Health (UK)

No information available

Results and Publications

Intention to publish date
Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to share	No
IPD sharing plan summary	Not provided at time of registration
Publication and dissemination plan	Not provided at time of registration
IPD sharing plan

Study outputs

Output type	Details	Date created	Date added	Peer reviewed?	Patient-facing?
Results article	results	24/03/2016		Yes	No
HRA research summary			28/06/2023	No	No

Editorial Notes

29/03/2016: Publication reference added.