“Scrap failed £1.2m health-check scheme”, say Welsh Conservatives

A £1.2m Welsh Government scheme to deliver internet health checks to the over-50s has been condemned by Welsh Conservatives as an “abject failure” and call for the service to be “scrapped.”

A series of Written Assembly Questions (WAQs) have revealed that to date just one per cent of Wales’ 1,177,000-strong population of over-50s have completed the survey since it was launched in April of 2014.

This equates to just 12,939 people over a 23-month period, with February – the latest data available – recording the second lowest completion rate since the service was rolled out.

Welsh Conservatives strongly criticised the Welsh Government’s ‘Add To Your Life’ self-assessment scheme when it was first introduced, calling it a “massive climb-down” on a manifesto commitment of examinations with GPs.

Labour pledged annual checks for the over-50s, led by GPs, prior to the 2011 assembly election.

The scheme aims to provide users with an overall picture of their health and wellbeing, and to help them make better lifestyle choices.

According to the Welsh Health Survey, one in five adults smoke, 40% overindulge on alcohol and a quarter are classed as obese.

The service can be accessed through a computer, smart phone, or tablet computer and takes five minutes to complete.

The WAQs were submitted to the Welsh Government by Welsh Conservative Assembly Member for Clwyd West, Darren Millar – he said:

“The idea for the self-assessment scheme has from the start been a complete folly, wasting millions but helping far too few.

“The paltry take-up figures will only add to existing public anger over Labour’s broken manifesto promise to deliver annual GP health checks to all of Wales’ over-50s.

“There are a number of obvious hurdles to the scheme; the main concern being that it relies heavily on users being digitally literate in order to use the service, placing the 69% of over 55s who lack basic digital skills at a huge disadvantage.

“I call on the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing to scrap this scheme and apologise to Wales’ over 50s for failing to deliver a key election promise of annual GP check-ups.”

Welsh Conservative Shadow Secretary for Health, Angela Burns AM, said:

“People aged over 50 are vulnerable to a number of health concerns from cancer and high blood pressure to diabetes and arthritis.

“It’s vital that they have access to a service which is readily available and addresses their specific needs.

“Just 60% of properties in rural Wales are serviced by mobile and internet providers, disenfranchising communities from this service when they already struggle with access to health services.

“It’s plain as day that the scheme has been an abject failure and future funding for its continuation should instead be diverted to GP recruitment and retention initiatives.”