Free NHS Health Checks now available in Williton 

Free NHS Health Checks are now available in Williton. Find out who is eligible, what the check involves and how it can help you stay healthy and reduce your risk of serious conditions.

Eligible residents aged 40 to 74 can now book a free NHS Health Check at a new location in West Somerset.

Residents are being encouraged to take a simple step towards better health, with appointments now available at Williton Library in West Somerset House.

The free check gives people a clearer picture of their health and can identify early signs of conditions such as heart disease, stroke, kidney disease and diabetes, helping them take action before problems develop.

Appointments are now available at:

Williton Library, West Somerset House, Williton

Find out if you are eligible and book here: NHS Health checks

The NHS Health Check is carried out by a trained healthcare professional and takes around 20 to 30 minutes. It includes simple measurements such as blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels, together with personalised advice to help people stay well.

For residents aged over 65, the appointment also includes information about the early signs of dementia, as some of the risk factors overlap.

Cllr Evie Potts-Jones, Somerset Council’s lead member for public health, said:

“Making NHS Health Checks available in Williton will help more people in West Somerset access this important service close to home.

“These free checks can identify potential health problems at an early stage and help people understand the practical steps they can take to protect their health.

“If you are eligible and have not had a check in the past five years, I would encourage you to book an appointment.”

At the end of the appointment, residents receive a personalised assessment of their risk of developing heart or circulatory problems over the next 10 years. They will also receive practical advice about diet, physical activity, alcohol consumption and stopping smoking.

Where additional help may be beneficial, residents can be directed to suitable local support services.

People aged 40 to 74 who are eligible and have not had an NHS Health Check in the past five years can visit the Council’s NHS Health Checks webpage or book an appointment online.

A blood pressure monitoring kit being used on a person's arm, showing hypertension with high systolic and diastolic readings.

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waste collections

Somerset Council has announced that there will be no recycling or rubbish collections taking place during the upcoming Spring Bank Holiday on Monday, 25 May.

Collection days will change across Somerset following the bank holiday.

All collections will be 1 day later than the usual schedule:

  • If a resident’s usual collection day is Monday, it will now take place on Tuesday.
  • Tuesday collections will be moved to Wednesday, Wednesday collections to Thursday, and so on.
  • For those who usually have a Friday collection, their collection will be rescheduled to Saturday 30 May.

If opening on a Monday is part of the Recycling Centre’s opening days, then it will be open as usual from 9am to 6pm on Bank Holiday Monday.

To help manage the increased volume of recycling, residents are encouraged to make extra space in their recycling boxes by crushing and flattening their recyclables.

This simple step can make a difference to help reduce the number of trips crews need to make to empty their vehicles.

For more information about what can be collected for recycling and to check a collection day visit the Council’s Bins, recycling and waste pages.

Early start during hot weather.

Waste collections in Somerset will begin from 6am next week, from Tuesday 26 May as temperatures are expected to climb.

The early starts are to help crews impacted by the hot weather and help to minimise any chance of disruption to recycling, rubbish or garden waste collections across the county.

Waste collection is hard, physical work and early starts help limit the time crews spend working in the hottest part of the day.

Somerset Council is asking residents to put their bins out the night before to make sure they are prepared for the early start.