Traffic light rating for patients

People who get a red light may be told to see a "health trainer"

People's health will be rated as red, amber or green under a traffic light system to appear on an NHS website.

Users can already use the NHS Choices website to establish what are the most common diseases in their area.

Now, they can obtain a more individual response by typing in details including their alcohol consumption, whether they smoke, and their sexual activity.

Those given a red light will be offered advice, and may be directed to their GP or a "health trainer".

The website will assess areas such as mental health, risk of cardiovascular disease and sexual health, Pulse magazine reports.

Dubbed the "Life Check" site, it is to be promoted in Leeds, Hull and Derby this month - although as it is online anyone can access it.

If the trial is a success, it will be publicised nationwide early next year.

Even it raises some people's interest and gets them thinking about lifestyle, that's not bad for something that is pretty cheap Professor Robert West UCL

The Department of Health has made several attempts to interact with patients online.

Earlier this year, it launched a Health Profile section on the NHS Choices website on which users were asked to enter their age, sex and postcode.

They were then given a list of the top five reasons for hospital admissions in their area.

The website was criticised by the British Medical Association as overloading patients with useless information that could cause unnecessary anxiety.

The Patients' Association said this latest venture was a waste of money.

"If there are extra resources they should be put into services on the ground," said spokeswoman Katherine Murphy.

"It sounds far too broadbrush to be of use to anyone, and is in any case unlikely to be accessed by the people who really do have health problems."

But Professor Robert West, an adviser to the Department of Health and professor of health psychology at UCL, said it had potential.

"It's not going to transform the landscape in terms of smoking, drinking and diet. But if it raises some people's interest and gets them thinking about lifestyle, that's not bad for something that is pretty cheap."

Health Minister Ben Bradshaw said: "The aim of NHS Life Check is to support people in making minor changes that will make a long term difference to their health.

"Traffic-light style guidance is one of a number of options that we are currently considering and we will be guided by the results of the trials."