Reminders for prostate health checks: when and how to book your screening

Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in men, and early detection significantly improves outcomes. Despite this, many men delay or avoid screening conversations with their GP — not from ignorance, but because health appointments are easy to defer when there are no immediate symptoms. Setting a recurring annual phone call reminder is a simple way to make sure you don't let another year pass without booking a check. This article covers when to seek a prostate health check and how to use a reminder system to stay on top of it. Always consult your GP or doctor for personalised health advice.

Who should consider prostate screening discussions

Most prostate cancer screening guidance recommends that men over 50 discuss PSA testing with their GP. Men with a family history of prostate cancer or who are of Black African or Black Caribbean heritage may be advised to start that conversation earlier — around 45. These aren't rigid rules; they're starting points for a conversation with your doctor.

The challenge is that without symptoms, it's easy to deprioritise. Work, family, and other health concerns take over, and the annual GP review for prostate health gets pushed back repeatedly until years have passed. A recurring reminder prevents that drift.

Setting up an annual prostate check reminder

In ReminderIt, create a one-time reminder for a date about a month before you'd like to have your appointment — for example, if you want a check every January, set the reminder for December with the message 'Time to book your annual prostate health check with your GP.' Once you've had the appointment, reschedule the reminder for the following year.

Alternatively, use a recurring annual reminder. This ensures the prompt appears every year without any manual rescheduling. Set the message with enough lead time to actually get an appointment — GP wait times vary, and giving yourself 4–6 weeks notice is realistic.

Using reminders for test results and follow-ups

If you've had a PSA test and are waiting for results, a reminder to call the GP surgery 2 weeks after the test prevents the anxious indefinite wait. If your GP recommends a follow-up at 3 months or 6 months, set that reminder immediately so it doesn't slip.

Health follow-ups are exactly the kind of appointment that feels less urgent once the immediate visit is done — and then suddenly you're a year behind on tracking a result. A reminder call at the right interval closes that loop. Always follow your GP's specific advice about your screening schedule.