How Often Should Employees Undergo a Health Check?

Planning your employee wellbeing budget? If you're deciding how often to offer health checks, once a year is a sensible starting point for most organisations.

Annual employee health assessments give your team regular opportunities to understand their health, review potential risk factors and consider what changes might help. They also give you a consistent way to track workforce wellbeing over time.

However, not every employee needs the same type of assessment or follows the same schedule. Some roles have specific legal requirements for health surveillance, while night workers must be offered health assessments at certain points during their employment.

Here's how to choose a suitable frequency for your workforce, understand your responsibilities and make repeat assessments count.

How often should employees have health checks?

• Voluntary wellbeing health checks: usually once a year, with earlier follow-up where advised.
• Legal health surveillance and night-worker assessments: follow the requirements for the relevant hazard or role.
• Repeat assessments: almost two-thirds of customers who started amber or red on blood pressure (diastolic) improved by their second visit, with 55.7% returning to green.

Health Checks the Law May Require

Before setting a schedule for your wellbeing programme, check whether any employees need health assessments because of their work or role.

Health surveillance and night-worker assessments have specific legal requirements. A voluntary workplace wellbeing assessment does not replace either of these.

Health Surveillance for Workplace Hazards

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) describes health surveillance as a system of ongoing health checks. It may be required by law when employees remain exposed to certain workplace health risks, even after suitable control measures are in place.

These risks can include noise, vibration, ionising radiation, solvents, fumes, dusts, biological agents and other substances hazardous to health, as well as working in compressed air.

The frequency depends on the hazard and the employee's circumstances. For example, HSE guidance says hearing checks are usually carried out annually for the first two years of employment, followed by checks every three years. More frequent checks may be needed if a problem is identified or the risk of hearing damage is high.

Your health surveillance arrangements should be based on the relevant risks and set up with appropriate occupational health expertise.

Read the HSE guidance on health surveillance and health surveillance for hearing for more information.

Health Assessments for Night Workers

If you employ night workers, you must offer them a free health assessment before they start night work. You must also offer regular assessments throughout their employment.

How often these assessments take place depends on the results for each worker. Workers can choose whether to accept an assessment.

Read the full GOV.UK guidance on night-worker health assessments.

Medical Assessments for Professional Drivers

Lorry and bus drivers who hold Group 2 driving licences have medical requirements at set ages and in certain circumstances. The applicable rules depend on the licensing authority and whether the driver is in Great Britain or Northern Ireland.

Check the relevant licensing guidance, including the DVLA's Group 2 medical examination guidance, before arranging assessments.

If any of these requirements apply to your workforce, speak to an occupational health provider about the appropriate process. You can still offer a separate wellbeing programme, but a voluntary health assessment does not replace statutory health surveillance, night-worker assessments or fitness-to-drive medicals.

How Often Should Wellbeing Health Checks Happen?

For most organisations, annual wellbeing health checks are a practical starting point. They create a regular opportunity for employees to review their health and give your organisation a consistent way to understand changes across the workforce.

There are three main reasons to consider an annual programme.

Health risk factors can change within a year. Blood pressure and cholesterol levels, for example, can change over time. Regular assessments give employees an opportunity to review their results and consider whether they need to take further action or seek advice from their GP.

An annual cycle is easier to plan. You can build assessments into your benefits renewal, wellbeing calendar or annual health awareness activities. A predictable schedule also makes it easier to communicate with employees and plan costs.

Repeat assessments help you understand progress. With appropriate anonymised, aggregated reporting, you can compare workforce-level results over time and use the findings to inform wellbeing priorities.

An annual assessment is a starting point, not a substitute for individual medical advice. If an employee receives an amber or red result, the appropriate next steps will depend on the result and the advice they receive. Some people may need follow-up sooner than their next annual appointment.

How Often Should Different Employees Have Health Checks?

The following table is a practical guide for voluntary wellbeing assessments. It is not a statutory schedule and does not replace individual clinical advice or occupational health requirements.

Age can be one factor when deciding which assessments to offer. Bluecrest health assessment data shows that high blood pressure flags increase with age: red flag high blood pressure rates nearly quadruple, from 9.5% of under-35s to 37.8% of over-55s.

This is data from Bluecrest customers overall, not a prediction of what you will find in your own workforce. It illustrates why a consistent programme, with flexibility to meet individual needs, can be useful.

It is also worth considering the NHS Health Check. Eligible adults in England aged 40 to 74 are invited for a check every five years. A workplace wellbeing programme can offer additional opportunities to review health between these appointments and support employees who are not yet eligible.

Before choosing a package, consider what an employee health assessment includes and which checks would be most useful for your team.

Why Repeat Health Checks Matter

An initial assessment gives employees a picture of their health at that point in time. A repeat assessment can help them see how their results have changed and whether any steps they've taken may be making a difference.

Bluecrest health assessment data shows that almost two-thirds of customers who started amber or red on blood pressure (diastolic) improved by their second visit, with 55.7% returning to green. And 37.6% of customers whose first Metabolic Age result was amber or red had improved it by the time they returned.

These figures relate to returning Bluecrest customers. They should not be taken as a guarantee of individual results, but they demonstrate the value of looking at health over time rather than relying on a single assessment.

An annual programme can also help make health and wellbeing a more familiar part of working life. Moffett Automation found that introducing annual assessments helped shift its workplace culture. As the company put it, “Now it's something we all look forward to every year.”

Repeat assessments can also help you understand health trends across your workforce. Organisations with 60 or more employees assessed receive anonymised, aggregated management information, which can be compared year on year to help inform wellbeing priorities. The Mining Remediation Authority case study shows how this works in practice.

Making an Annual Programme Work

An annual health assessment programme doesn't have to mean asking everyone to attend the same clinic on the same day. A few practical decisions can help make it easier for employees to take part.

Choose a time that works for your organisation. You could align assessments with your benefits renewal, an annual wellbeing campaign or a dedicated health awareness day. Giving employees advance notice can help them plan around their work.

Offer a suitable way to take part. Depending on your workforce and the services available, you could combine on-site health assessments, clinic appointments and home test kits. This can give employees more flexibility, particularly if your team works across different locations or shifts.

Explain how the programme works. Make it clear that voluntary wellbeing assessments are optional, explain what employees can expect and tell them how their personal health information will be handled. Employees should understand that taking part is about supporting their health, not judging their performance.

Plan how to support employees after their assessment. Results are most useful when employees understand what they mean and what to do next. Each reading is explained using a simple red, amber and green system, with follow-up advice where needed. Every package also includes a year’s access to a 24/7 GP helpline, and the Executive package adds a private GP consultation.

Use workforce-level findings to guide your priorities. Anonymised, aggregated reporting can help you spot patterns across your organisation. Alongside other wellbeing metrics for HR, such as absence and engagement, it can show which initiatives may be most relevant.

Remember that employee participation in voluntary wellbeing assessments is a choice. Your communications should explain the benefits clearly without putting pressure on people to take part.

How Much Does an Annual Programme Cost?

The cost of an annual employee health assessment programme depends on the package you choose, the number of employees taking part and how assessments are delivered.

Bluecrest Business currently lists four assessment packages:

• Business Health Plus
• Business Health Extra
• Business Health Comprehensive
• Business Health Executive

The right option will depend on your workforce, priorities and budget. You can compare employee health check packages to see what each includes, and our breakdown of corporate wellness costs in the UK shows what else to factor in.

Want to discuss the right assessment schedule for your team? Book a meeting with Bluecrest to explore the options.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are employers legally required to offer health checks?

Not all employers are required to offer general wellbeing health checks. However, specific legal duties apply in certain circumstances, including health surveillance for employees exposed to particular workplace hazards and health assessments for night workers. Employers should identify the requirements that apply to their workforce and arrange the appropriate occupational health support.

Is once a year too often for younger employees?

Not necessarily. An annual wellbeing assessment can give employees of different ages a regular opportunity to review their health. Bluecrest health assessment data shows that high blood pressure flags are present in younger customers as well as older age groups. The right assessment should reflect individual needs, rather than age alone.

Can employees refuse a health check?

Yes. Voluntary wellbeing assessments are optional, and employees can choose whether to take part. Night-worker health assessments must be offered by employers, but workers do not have to accept them. Separate rules apply to statutory health surveillance, so employers should follow the relevant requirements for each role and hazard.

Will employers see individual health assessment results?

Employers should explain clearly how personal health information will be handled before employees take part. Bluecrest Business case studies describe anonymised, aggregated management information for organisations with 60 or more employees assessed. This reporting helps employers understand workforce-level trends rather than reviewing individual results.

Do new starters need a health check?

There is no general legal requirement for every new starter to have a voluntary wellbeing assessment. However, specific requirements may apply to certain roles, and employers should check their occupational health responsibilities.

In July 2026, an update to Sir Charlie Mayfield’s Keep Britain Working review proposed piloting health checks for workers when they join companies, alongside checks at other points such as after extended sickness absence. This was a proposal, not a new legal requirement. Any future changes should be distinguished from the duties employers already have.

Read the government's Keep Britain Working review update for further context.