Have you been to a health check recently? Or perhaps you are a parent or carer of someone who has? If so, we would like you to take part in a focus group.

We are running research to understand what makes annual health checks work well for autistic people and people with a learning disability. We also want to understand how the NHS could deliver these annual health checks in a way that is helpful for people. 

What is a health check?

• A health check is when a doctor or nurse asks someone to make an appointment to assess how they are and ask about their general health and wellbeing.
• A health check is different from asking for an
  appointment with their doctor because they feel unwell.
• A health check is also different from being invited to see their doctor or nurse to discuss a specific health condition, like diabetes or epilepsy.

Who we are looking for

We are running two focus groups:

• One for autistic people, and
• One for parents/carers of autistic people (with or without a learning disability).

Autistic people focus group (ages 16+):
You can take part if:

• You are autistic and have a formal autism diagnosis (the NHS uses formal records to confirm eligibility for annual health checks), and
• You are 16 years old or older, and
• You have had an annual health check in the past year.

Parent/carer focus group (supporting someone aged 14+):
You can take part if:

• You support or care for someone who has had an annual health check in the past year, and
• The person you support:
  • is autistic with a formal diagnosis, or
  • is autistic with a learning disability,
  • and is 14 years old or older.

What you’ll be asked to do:
The focus groups will take place in April 2026.
In the focus groups, we'll ask you your views on health checks for people with a learning disability and for autistic people. We are interested in learning what works well and what doesn't work well during health checks. 

Each group or interview will last approximately 1-2 hours and will be held online.

The team will provide reasonable adjustments to support participation, for example, accessible formats, breaks, and other flexible ways of contributing.

What you’ll be offered for your time:
You will be compensated £50 for the focus group as well as expenses such as travel, if applicable.

How to get involved

To express your interest, complete the web form below before Monday, 23 March, 9 am. Alternatively, you can access the Easy Read PDF form.

Expressing your interest does not mean that you must take part in this study. It is also possible that you may not be able to take part in this study even if you would like to. For example, if other people have already filled the places.