Your forties bring real change: hormones shift, cardiovascular risk quietly rises, and the NHS Health Check (if you qualify) covers only the basics. A private health check lets you go further, on your terms, without a long wait. Here's what's worth knowing if you're considering one in Preston or across the North West.
What a good health check covers
A well-designed check for women over 40 looks at the areas where risk starts to build — many of which produce no symptoms until they're well advanced. At Northwest Health, our blood screening packages start at £200 (Silver), with Gold (£350) and Platinum (£500) panels covering progressively more markers.
A comprehensive check typically includes:
- Cardiovascular markers — cholesterol (total, LDL, HDL), triglycerides, blood pressure
- Blood sugar and metabolic health — HbA1c for diabetes risk, fasting glucose
- Full blood count — checks for anaemia and infection patterns
- Thyroid function — hypothyroidism becomes more common in this decade and is often missed
- Liver and kidney function
- Vitamin D, B12 and iron — deficiencies are very common and very treatable
- Hormone levels — oestrogen, FSH and LH can help clarify where you are in the perimenopause transition
Our Health MOT, from £275, includes a clinical review with a GP as well as blood tests — so you don't just get numbers, you get someone to explain what they mean for you.
The hormone question
Perimenopause typically begins in the mid-to-late forties, though it can start earlier. Symptoms — disrupted sleep, mood changes, irregular periods, brain fog — overlap with several other conditions, which makes a targeted hormone screen useful.
Blood tests alone don't diagnose perimenopause (symptoms and history matter more), but they can add useful context, particularly if symptoms are atypical or you're considering your options. Your GP can discuss what the results mean in the context of your overall health.
Why bother if you feel fine?
Many of the conditions that carry real long-term risk — raised cholesterol, pre-diabetes, early thyroid dysfunction — produce no noticeable symptoms for years. A health check gives you a baseline: something to compare future tests against, and a chance to make small changes before bigger ones become necessary.
It's also simply useful to know where you stand. Not in an anxious way — in a practical, empowered way.
Do I need a GP referral?
No referral is needed. You can book directly. All our blood test results are reviewed by a GP as part of the process, so you receive a result with clinical context rather than a bare number on a form.
What happens with my results?
Results are discussed with you by one of our GPs, and where anything needs follow-up — whether that's a repeat test, a lifestyle change, or a referral — we'll tell you clearly and without fuss. We're CQC registered, which means the clinical standards you'd expect of any regulated healthcare provider apply here.
See our blood tests and health screens →
Speak to our team
Book a consultation and we'll build a plan around you. Most enquiries answered the same day.