Free Health Checks will be available in Bantry as part of World Diabetes Day on Friday November 14th, writes Jackie Keogh.

HSE South West is offering the free health checks for everyone at the Bantry Primary Care Centre from 11am to 2pm.

The West Cork diabetes integrated care team will be there to offer the free checks and advice so people can earn about their risk of developing diabetes and get support if they are already living with it. Mari O’Donovan, the interim head of primary care with HSE South West, said: ‘World Diabetes Day is a great time to think about our health and lifestyle choices’ because in Ireland about 309,000 people have diabetes, roughly 6% of the population.

Most have Type 2 diabetes, which is often linked to lifestyle and can sometimes be prevented.