What Should You Ask Your GP at a Health Check?

A health check is not just a quick once-over. Done well, it is a chance to step back from day-to-day symptoms and look at your health more broadly: your risks, family history, lifestyle, screening needs, medications, mental wellbeing and any changes you may have been ignoring.

At Shire Family Medical, GP health checks are approached as part of ongoing, preventive care. The aim is not to test everything for the sake of it, but to focus on what is relevant for your age, symptoms, medical history and individual risk factors.

If you have not seen a GP for a while, or you are booking a check-up because you feel ready to take your health more seriously, it can help to know what to ask. A good health check is a conversation, not just a form or a blood test.

Why a Health Check Is Worth Planning For

Many people book a GP appointment only when something feels wrong. That is understandable, but some important health risks can build quietly before symptoms appear.

Blood pressure may rise without obvious warning signs. Cholesterol changes may not cause symptoms. Iron deficiency, diabetes risk, heart disease risk, skin changes, mood concerns and medication issues may all become clearer when reviewed in context.

A health check gives your GP an opportunity to look for patterns, ask the right questions and recommend screening or follow-up where appropriate. It also gives you a chance to raise concerns that may not feel urgent, but still matter.

What Happens at a GP Health Check?

A health check can vary depending on your age, health history and reason for booking. It may be brief and focused, or it may require a longer appointment if several areas need review.

Your GP may discuss:

• Your medical history and family history.
• Current medications, supplements and allergies.
• Blood pressure, weight or other physical measurements.
• Smoking, alcohol, sleep, nutrition and physical activity.
• Mental health, stress and emotional wellbeing.
• Cardiovascular risk factors.
• Diabetes risk.
• Cancer screening and skin checks.
• Vaccinations and preventive care.
• Whether blood tests, urine tests, ECG or other investigations are needed.

Shire Family Medical’s Check-ups & GP Health Assessments service includes age-appropriate reviews, general check-ups, 45–49 year health assessments for eligible patients, 75+ annual health assessments, driver medicals and other medical forms.

Question 1: Which Health Checks Are Relevant for My Age?

Not every person needs the same screening tests. A healthy person in their twenties may need different advice from someone in their forties, sixties or seventies. Your GP can help you understand what is relevant now and what may become relevant later.

You might ask:

• Are there any age-based screening tests I should be up to date with?
• Do I need a blood pressure check, cholesterol test or diabetes risk assessment?
• Should we discuss bowel, breast, cervical, prostate or skin cancer screening?
• Are my vaccinations up to date?
• How often should I have a check-up based on my health history?

This is especially useful if you have recently reached a new life stage, such as your forties, fifties or older age, when preventive screening discussions may change.

Question 2: Do My Family History or Risk Factors Change What I Need?

Family history can influence screening and prevention. A family history of heart disease, diabetes, bowel cancer, melanoma, breast cancer, osteoporosis, mental health concerns or other conditions may change what your GP recommends.

Risk is not only genetic. Lifestyle, occupation, sun exposure, smoking history, alcohol intake, weight, blood pressure, sleep, stress and previous test results may all shape the discussion.

Helpful questions include:

• Does my family history mean I should be screened earlier or more often?
• Are there conditions I should be watching for?
• Do my work, lifestyle or past health issues change my risk?
• Are there steps I can take now to reduce future risk?

Question 3: Do I Need Blood Tests?

Many people expect a health check to include blood tests, but testing should be targeted. Your GP may recommend blood tests depending on your age, symptoms, medications, family history and risk factors.

Blood tests may help assess cholesterol, blood sugar, iron levels, thyroid function, kidney function, liver function, vitamin levels or other markers when clinically indicated.

You might ask:

• Which blood tests are useful for me and why?
• Do I need to fast before the test?
• What are we trying to rule in or rule out?
• When should I follow up on the results?
• How will these results be compared with previous tests?

If testing is arranged, our related article on what happens after a blood test explains how pathology results are reviewed in context and why follow-up matters.

Question 4: Should We Check My Heart Health?

Heart health is one of the most important areas of preventive care. Your GP may consider blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes risk, smoking history, weight, family history, exercise, diet and other cardiovascular risk factors.

An ECG may be recommended in some situations, such as when investigating symptoms, monitoring certain conditions, reviewing risk factors or as part of specific health assessments. Shire Family Medical provides on-site ECG testing where clinically appropriate.

You might ask:

• What is my blood pressure and is it in a healthy range?
• Do I need a heart disease risk assessment?
• Should we check cholesterol or blood sugar?
• Are chest symptoms, palpitations, breathlessness or fatigue worth investigating?
• Would an ECG be relevant for me?

If you have chest pain, severe shortness of breath, fainting, sudden weakness or symptoms that feel urgent, seek emergency medical care rather than waiting for a routine appointment.

Question 5: Should I Have a Skin Check?

Skin cancer risk is an important consideration in Australia. Your GP may ask about sun exposure, previous sunburn, outdoor work, family history, previous skin cancers and any new or changing spots.

Even if your health check is not a dedicated skin check, it is worth mentioning any spot that has changed, bleeds, crusts, itches, becomes tender or looks different from your other marks.

Our article on what happens during a skin check explains how a GP may assess moles, spots and lesions, including the use of dermatoscopy where appropriate.

Question 6: Are My Vaccinations Up to Date?

Vaccination is not only a childhood issue. Adults may need boosters, seasonal vaccines, travel vaccines or vaccines linked to age, work, medical conditions or pregnancy planning.

You might ask:

• Am I due for any routine adult vaccinations?
• Do I need a tetanus, whooping cough or flu vaccine?
• Are any vaccines recommended for my age or health conditions?
• Do I need travel vaccination advice before an overseas trip?

If you are planning overseas travel, vaccine timing can matter. It is better to raise travel plans early rather than waiting until just before departure.

Question 7: Are My Symptoms Connected?

Some people come to a check-up with a collection of small concerns: tiredness, poor sleep, headaches, stress, weight change, low mood, digestive symptoms, aches, shortness of breath on exertion or changes in concentration.

Individually, each symptom may feel minor. Together, they may help your GP identify a pattern.

It can help to ask:

• Could these symptoms be connected?
• Are there common causes we should consider?
• Do we need blood tests or another type of assessment?
• Should we review sleep, stress, mental health or medications?
• When should I come back if symptoms continue?

Your GP may not be able to answer everything in one appointment, especially if several concerns are involved. In that case, a follow-up plan can be more useful than rushing through every issue at once.

Question 8: What Should I Change Before My Next Check-Up?

A health check should not leave you with vague advice like “be healthier”. It should help you identify practical next steps.

You might discuss:

• Realistic nutrition changes.
• Physical activity that suits your current fitness and health.
• Sleep habits.
• Alcohol intake.
• Smoking or vaping support.
• Stress management.
• Weight and metabolic health.
• Follow-up tests or appointments.

The best plan is one you can actually follow. Small, consistent changes often matter more than ambitious goals that are difficult to maintain.

How To Prepare for the Appointment

Before your health check, write down your main concerns and questions. Bring a list of medications, supplements and allergies. If you have results or specialist letters from another clinic, bring those too.

It may help to note:

• Any symptoms and when they started.
• Family history of major conditions.
• Recent changes in weight, sleep, mood, appetite or energy.
• Vaccination records if available.
• Previous screening test dates if you know them.
• Any forms you need completed.

If you want a broad review, ask whether a longer appointment is appropriate. A longer appointment can give your GP more time to cover preventive care properly.

A Health Check Is a Starting Point

The value of a GP health check is not only in what happens on the day. It is in the plan that follows: what to monitor, what to test, what to change, what to review, and when to come back.

For patients in Sutherland and the Sutherland Shire, Shire Family Medical provides age-appropriate GP health checks and preventive care discussions tailored to your stage of life, risk factors and health goals.

👉 Learn more about GP health checks at Shire Family Medical