Running a business? Why your own health deserves a place in the annual plan

If you run a business, you're probably accustomed to keeping a close eye on its performance.

You review the finances, manage risks, plan ahead and deal with potential problems before they become bigger ones. But how often do you apply the same thinking to your own health?

For company directors and business owners, looking after yourself can easily slip down the priority list. An annual health review can provide dedicated time to take stock, understand your individual health risks and identify areas that may deserve attention, even when you're feeling perfectly well. And, in certain circumstances, an employer-funded health-screening assessment or medical check-up can qualify for a specific tax exemption.

Your health is part of the bigger picture

Running a business can be demanding. Long hours, competing priorities and responsibility for employees, customers and finances can mean routine healthcare gets postponed. It's understandable. When you feel well, finding time for a medical appointment may not seem particularly urgent.

But some important health risks don't necessarily announce themselves with obvious symptoms. High blood pressure and raised cholesterol, for example, can go unnoticed without appropriate checks. A periodic health review creates dedicated time to consider your current health, medical and family history, lifestyle and individual risk factors, and to decide whether anything warrants further attention.

What should an executive medical actually achieve?

We don't think the value of an executive medical should be measured by how many tests you can fit into an appointment. A useful assessment begins with the individual. At The Hove Practice, our Executive Medical includes a detailed review of your medical history and a physical examination, giving your GP an opportunity to build a broader picture of your health.

Depending on your individual circumstances, additional investigations such as blood tests, an ECG or spirometry may be appropriate. These are optional and incur additional charges, which are discussed with you before proceeding. The important part isn't simply generating results. It's having a clinician interpret them in the context of your wider health and explain what, if anything, should happen next.

More testing isn't always better healthcare

It's tempting to assume that the more tests you have, the more reassurance you'll receive. Healthcare isn't quite that simple. No screening test is perfect. Testing people who don't have symptoms can sometimes produce false-positive results, leading to unnecessary worry and further investigation. False-negative results can provide inappropriate reassurance, while some tests can identify abnormalities that would never have caused a health problem.

That's why tests should be chosen for a reason. An expert private GP-led assessment allows investigations to be considered in the context of your age, medical and family history, symptoms, lifestyle and risk factors rather than simply applying the same extensive panel to everyone. And if you do have symptoms that are concerning you, tell your doctor. Screening is intended for people without symptoms; symptoms require proper clinical assessment.

Establishing a useful health baseline

One of the advantages of reviewing your health periodically is being able to look at change over time. Blood pressure, cholesterol, blood glucose, weight and other relevant measures can contribute to an understanding of cardiovascular and metabolic health. Lifestyle factors including exercise, diet, smoking and alcohol consumption also form part of the overall picture.

Not every person needs every measurement or test every year. The purpose is to understand what matters for you and identify realistic actions that could support your longer-term health. At The Hove Practice, you'll receive a detailed report following your Executive Medical, including your clinician's assessment and recommendations. If something requires further investigation, your GP can discuss appropriate next steps with you.

Can your company pay for your annual medical?

There is also a potentially useful consideration for company directors who are employees of their business. Under current HMRC rules, an employer can provide an employee with up to one health-screening assessment and one medical check-up in a tax year without those costs being treated as a taxable benefit, provided the relevant HMRC conditions are met.

HMRC defines a health-screening assessment as an assessment intended to identify employees who may be at particular risk of ill health. A qualifying medical check-up is a physical examination by a health professional for the purpose of determining an employee's state of health.

There are important boundaries. The exemption does not extend to medical treatment, and different rules can apply to other healthcare benefits. Tax treatment will also depend on exactly what is being provided and how it is structured. We therefore recommend checking the position with your accountant or tax adviser before treating the cost of an Executive Medical as exempt.

Put your own health on the agenda

We often talk about business resilience in terms of finances, systems, people and succession planning. For an owner-director, there's another important consideration: you. Looking after your health isn't an indulgence or a vague exercise in "optimisation". It's an opportunity to understand where you are now, identify meaningful risks and make informed decisions about your future health.

At The Hove Practice, our Executive Medical is designed around you rather than a standard list of tests. Your 60-minute appointment gives your GP time to review your medical and family history, examine you and consider the factors that may matter to your longer-term health. Where additional investigations would be useful, we'll explain why and discuss the options and costs with you before proceeding. You'll also receive a detailed report with your clinician's assessment and recommendations.

If your own health has been sitting at the bottom of the business to-do list, you can read more about our Executive Medical service or book an appointment with our team.

Clinical and tax sources and further information

HM Revenue & Customs — Employment Income Manual EIM21765 Current HMRC guidance on the tax exemption for employer-provided health-screening assessments and medical check-ups.

HM Revenue & Customs — Non-taxable payments or benefits for employees (2026) Current employee-facing HMRC guidance covering non-taxable benefits, including qualifying health screening.

UK National Screening Committee — NHS and commercial health screening tests: important considerations Guidance explaining the benefits, limitations and potential harms of health screening, including private screening.

NICE — Cardiovascular disease: risk assessment and reduction, including lipid modification (NG238) Clinical guidance on assessing cardiovascular risk, including the use of QRISK3 and the importance of discussing individual risk, lifestyle and appropriate interventions.

Clinical Review

Clinical information was checked against current NICE and UK National Screening Committee guidance. Tax information was checked against current HM Revenue & Customs guidance at the date of review. HMRC rules and individual tax circumstances can change. This article provides general information only and is not tax advice. Please speak to your accountant or tax adviser about your own circumstances. Clinically reviewed by: Dr Simon Glew. Originally published: 15 October 2026. Last clinically reviewed: 15 October 2026