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 life and look at your health more broadly — your risks, family history, lifestyle choices, screening needs, current medications, mental wellbeing, and the little changes you may have been quietly ignoring.

At Shire Family Medical, we approach GP health checks as part of ongoing, preventive care. The goal is not to test everything for the sake of it, but to focus on what is genuinely relevant for your age, your history and your individual circumstances.

If you have not seen a GP in a while — or you are simply ready to take a more proactive look at your health — knowing what to ask can make a real difference. A good health check is a conversation, not just a form to fill in or a box to tick.

Why a Health Check Is Worth Planning For

Most people book a GP appointment only when something feels wrong. That is completely understandable. But some of the most important health risks develop quietly, long before any obvious symptoms appear.

Blood pressure can rise without any warning signs. Cholesterol changes often go unnoticed. Iron deficiency, early diabetes risk, heart disease risk, changing skin lesions, mood concerns and medication interactions can all become clearer when reviewed together, 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 it is genuinely warranted. It also gives you the space to raise concerns that may not feel urgent — but still matter.

What Happens at a GP Health Check?

What your check-up covers will depend on your age, health history and reason for booking. Some appointments are brief and focused; others benefit from a longer time slot if several areas need attention.

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, an ECG or other investigations are appropriate

Our 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 everyone needs the same screening tests. A healthy person in their twenties will have different priorities from someone in their forties, sixties or seventies. Your GP can help you understand what is relevant now — and what may become relevant as you move through different life stages.

It is worth asking:

• 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 talk about bowel, breast, cervical, prostate or skin cancer screening?
• Are my vaccinations current?
• How often should I have a check-up, given my health history?

This conversation is especially valuable if you have recently reached a new decade — your forties, fifties or beyond — when the recommended preventive screenings can shift meaningfully.

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

Family history shapes more than just your genes. A history of heart disease, diabetes, bowel cancer, melanoma, breast cancer, osteoporosis or mental health conditions in close relatives can influence what your GP recommends — and when.

Risk is not only inherited, though. Lifestyle, occupation, sun exposure, smoking, alcohol intake, weight, blood pressure, sleep quality, stress levels and your past test results all contribute to the picture.

Useful questions to raise include:

• Does my family history mean I should be screened earlier or more regularly?
• Are there particular conditions I should be alert to?
• Do my work, lifestyle or past health issues increase my risk in any way?
• Are there things I can do now to reduce my risk down the track?

Question 3: Do I Need Blood Tests?

Many people expect a health check to automatically include blood tests. But good clinical practice means testing should be targeted — ordered for a clear reason, not as a general sweep.

Depending on your age, symptoms, medications, family history and risk factors, your GP may recommend tests to assess cholesterol, blood glucose, iron levels, thyroid function, kidney or liver function, vitamin levels or other markers.

Consider asking:

• Which blood tests would be useful for me, and why?
• Do I need to fast beforehand?
• What are we looking to rule in or rule out?
• When should I follow up for the results?
• How do these results compare with any previous tests I have had?

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 sits at the centre of preventive care for good reason. Your GP may consider blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, smoking history, weight, family history, exercise habits, diet and other cardiovascular risk factors together — because it is the combination that matters.

An ECG may be appropriate in some situations: investigating symptoms, monitoring certain conditions, reviewing risk factors or as part of a specific health assessment. Shire Family Medical offers on-site ECG testing where clinically appropriate.

Questions worth raising include:

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

If you experience chest pain, sudden shortness of breath, fainting, or any symptoms that feel urgent, please call 000 or go to your nearest emergency department — do not wait for a routine appointment.

Question 5: Should I Have a Skin Check?

Skin cancer risk is a real consideration for Australians, and it is worth bringing up even when you are visiting for a general check-up. Your GP may ask about sun exposure history, previous sunburn, outdoor work, family history, previous skin cancers and any spots that look new or have changed.

Even if your appointment is not a dedicated skin check, mention anything that has changed shape, bled, crusted, itched or simply looks different from your other marks. It is always better to ask.

Our article on what happens during a skin check walks through 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 does not stop in childhood. Adults may need boosters, seasonal vaccines, travel vaccines or vaccines linked to age, medical conditions, occupation or pregnancy planning. It is easy for these to slip by unnoticed — especially if you have not had a regular GP for a while.

Ask your GP:

• Am I due for any routine adult vaccinations?
• Do I need a tetanus booster, whooping cough vaccine or annual flu shot?
• Are any vaccines recommended based on my age or health conditions?
• Do I need pre-travel vaccination advice before an upcoming trip?

If you are planning overseas travel, vaccine timing matters more than you might expect. Some vaccines require multiple doses spread over weeks. Raise your travel plans early — ideally months before departure.

Question 7: Are My Symptoms Connected?

Some people arrive at a health check with a collection of smaller concerns that individually feel too minor to make a fuss about: low energy, disrupted sleep, headaches, a flat mood, digestive discomfort, unexplained weight change, or difficulty concentrating. Each one seems manageable on its own. Together, they can tell a more meaningful story.

Sharing these patterns with your GP is worthwhile. It can help to ask:

• Could these symptoms be connected?
• Are there common causes worth considering?
• Do we need blood tests or another type of assessment?
• Should we look more closely at sleep, stress, mental health or my medications?
• When should I come back if things do not improve?

Your GP may not be able to work through everything in a single appointment — especially if several concerns need attention. A clear follow-up plan is often 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 to “eat better” or “exercise more”. It should help you land on practical next steps that are realistic for your life right now.

This is a good time to discuss:

• Realistic nutrition changes — not an overhaul, just what is workable
• Physical activity that suits your current fitness level and health
• Sleep habits and what might be disrupting them
• Alcohol intake
• Support for quitting smoking or vaping
• Stress management strategies
• Weight and metabolic health
• Any follow-up tests or specialist referrals

The best plan is one you will actually follow. Small, consistent changes tend to stick in ways that ambitious goals rarely do.

How To Prepare for the Appointment

A little preparation can make the most of your time with your GP. Before the appointment, jot down your main concerns and any questions you want to raise. Bring a list of current medications, supplements and allergies — including any you have started or stopped recently. If you have recent test results or specialist letters from another clinic, bring those along too.

It can also help to note:

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

If you want a broad review, ask when booking whether a longer appointment is appropriate. A longer slot gives your GP the time to cover preventive care properly — rather than having to defer important topics to a second visit.

A Health Check Is a Starting Point

The real value of a GP health check is not just what happens on the day. It is the plan that follows: what to monitor, what to investigate further, what to change, and when to come back. That ongoing thread is what makes preventive care genuinely useful.

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

👉 Learn more about GP health checks at Shire Family Medical