Millions could get free £10 voucher thanks to little-known NHS scheme

You could take part in health studies
-Credit:Reach Publishing Services Limited


People across the UK could get a £10 voucher thanks to a little-known Government-funded scheme. Our Future Health is the UK's largest health research programme.

It is on the search for up to five million people across Britain to get involved in research. Studies could help prevent and treat diseases.

More than 2,150,000 people are already taking part in the scheme. But many are not aware of it until they receive a letter from the NHS inviting them to the programme.

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Everyone aged 18 and over living in the UK can qualify to take part, Mirror reports. It is being run by the Our Future Health charity in partnership with the NHS and other organisations.

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The charity says: "Discoveries made through Our Future Health could lead to new ways to predict, prevent and detect diseases earlier in life when they can be treated more easily, including diseases such as dementia, cancer, diabetes, heart disease and stroke." If you take part, you could learn more about the risk of certain diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease.

The Participant Information sheet explains: "As Our Future Health is a research programme, your information will not be used in the diagnosis or treatment of disease, and you will not automatically receive personal feedback about your samples, DNA, or other data. But in the future, we will get in touch to ask if you would like to receive personal feedback from your samples, DNA or other data.

"You might learn new information about your health or risk of diseases such as diabetes and heart disease from this feedback. We will always give you more information and the chance to ask questions before you make your decision, and you can say yes or no."

You can withdraw from the scheme if you change your mind after joining. If you want to take part, you will be asked to read and sign a consent form.

You will also need to fill in a questionnaire about your health and lifestyle and book an appointment to provide a blood sample. After completing the steps, you will be offered a £10 voucher.

The vouchers can be spent in supermarkets and high-street shops or you can donate it to the Our Future Health charity. More information is available here on Our Future Health's website.