Nov 7 2007
An online programme launched by the National Health Service in Britain uses a 'traffic light' system to rate people's health status.
The website rates users as red, amber or green - those with a red light are offered advice, and may be directed to their GP or a "health trainer".
The NHS website already allows users to establish what the principle diseases are in their neighbourhood but they can now also obtain a more individual response by typing in details including their alcohol consumption, whether they smoke, and their sexual activity.
The website "Life Check" will assess areas such as mental health, risk of cardiovascular disease and sexual health, and is to be trialled in Leeds, Hull and Derby this month.
As it is online anyone can access it and if successful it will be publicised nationwide early next year.
Experts say if it raises interest and gets people thinking about lifestyle, that will be a good outcome for what is essentially a relatively inexpensive project.
The Department of Health has already made several attempts to interact with patients online and earlier this year, launched a Health Profile section on the NHS Choices website on which users were asked to enter their age, sex and postcode.
They were then given a list of the top five reasons for hospital admissions in their area.
The website was criticised by the British Medical Association as overloading patients with useless information that could cause unnecessary anxiety and this latest attempt has drawn criticism from the Patients' Association who say it is a waste of money and any extra resources should be put into services dealing directly with patients.
The government says the aim of Life Check is to support people in making minor changes that will make a long term difference to their health.
It is hoped that people will be more honest when dealing with a website than they are with their GP, and that those given a red rating will be encouraged to visit their GP or to take action to improve their health.
Critics say those accessing the site are likely to be motivated already and it is unlikely to reach people such as the 60-year-old smoker.
The NHS Choices website already offers a rudimentary system for calculating the risk of a heart attack, but it is regarded as so simple as to be almost worthless.