Health screening refers to a range of different heath tests or examinations performed to detect health problems and conditions even before any symptoms present. Health screening tests may help to find diseases or conditions at an early stage (which is why there may be no obvious symptoms) but caught early many illnesses & conditions are much easier to treat effectively. Some of the conditions that doctors regularly screen for include breast cancer, cervical cancer, bowel cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, osteoporosis & prostate cancer in men.

Which tests are suitable for you depends on your age, sex, your family history of disease & illness and whether you have risk factors for certain diseases. For example, if you are overweight this may increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Health screening may be carried out by your doctor although a number of private companies now offer a range of ever more sophisticated health screening services often called a “well man” or “well woman” screen