Changing the Conversation: Embedding Dementia Risk into NHS Health Checks
Parallel 1
17 November, 2026 12:00 – 1:10 pmMini Presentations Group 1
Jenny Casson
Education Lead/Dementia Specialist
End of Life Partnership
Summary
Can a routine NHS Health Check do more than assess cardiovascular risk? In Cheshire East, this project set out to show that it can also become a powerful opportunity to raise awareness of dementia risk and support prevention earlier in life. By embedding dementia risk conversations into everyday NHS Health Checks, this initiative brought brain health into a well-established prevention pathway and translated national evidence on modifiable risk into practical, patient-facing action.
Led through partnership between The End of Life Partnership, Cheshire East Council, NHS Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care Board and Cheshire East Place partners, the project began by listening to the workforce delivering NHS Health Checks. Baseline scoping across GP practices identified that dementia risk was rarely discussed routinely, staff confidence was limited, and practical resources were lacking. These insights shaped a collaborative response: frontline workshops, bespoke dementia risk training, and accessible patient information designed to make prevention conversations easier, clearer and more meaningful within the time constraints of primary care.
The results show encouraging early impact. Before the project, only 10% of respondents reported mentioning dementia risk to all patients attending an NHS Health Check. Following training, this rose to 50% among follow-up respondents, while 100% reported feeling confident or very confident discussing modifiable dementia risk factors. Staff described improved confidence, stronger signposting, and changes within practice teams, including sharing learning with colleagues and adapting local systems and prompts. Training evaluation was also highly positive, with 100% agreeing it met expectations and had a positive impact, and 92% reporting increased knowledge, skills and confidence.