With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, there’s no better time to show your heart some love. This Heart Month, NHS Hertfordshire and West Essex is encouraging everyone aged 40 and over to take a moment to check their blood pressure – and to remind loved ones to do the same.
High blood pressure has no symptoms, yet it remains a leading cause of heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease and dementia. A quick check could prevent a life‑changing event. Since March 2024, nearly 118,000 blood pressure readings have been taken in community pharmacies across our area, helping thousands of people to know their numbers and get the help they need early.
Detecting undiagnosed high blood pressure, known as ‘hypertension’, is a big focus for the local NHS. Blood pressure checks are available from GP practices, pharmacies, hospital outpatient waiting rooms, some dentists and opticians, as well as some sports clubs, places of worship and community centres.
Dr Fiona Head, Medical Director at Hertfordshire and West Essex ICB said:
“We want to make this life saving check easy to access and something people aged 40 and upwards do as part of their regular routine, like servicing your car. Our approach aims to reach people where they already are, whether at a health appointment, on the high street, or at a local event, making it easier than ever to take that crucial step towards better health.”
A collaborative project between the ICB and the charity One Vision has brought blood pressure checks into trusted community and faith settings across Hertfordshire, helping reach people less likely to access traditional healthcare services. More than 803 people were screened, identifying 23 new cases of hypertension and supporting many others with lifestyle advice, home monitoring and GP follow‑up. Feedback from participants showed just how valuable it was to receive these checks in places that felt familiar, supportive and culturally appropriate.
The ICB also partnered with Stevenage Football Club and Watford FC to hold fan events at the Lamex and Vicarage Road stadiums to reach people who might otherwise miss out on vital checks. Some attendees at these events discovered dangerously high readings and were able to seek immediate medical advice as a result.
Debbie Trueman, from Watford, was 52 when she suffered a brain haemorrhage caused by untreated high blood pressure.
Debbie was taken to Watford Hospital and then rushed to a specialist unit in London – she had suffered a form of stroke and needed the blood drained from her brain. The operation was a success and Debbie was able to go home once she had recovered. She has been left with some long-term side effects from her illness however, and says it has been life changing.
“It has affected some of my cognitive skills and has had an impact on my short term memory” Debbie says.
Debbie was prescribed medication to control her high blood pressure and she invested in her own blood pressure machine which means she is able to carry out checks at home. “I would urge people to get their own blood pressure machine if they can, but also to visit their pharmacist who will be able to carry out a free check that could save your life.”
“I was getting my medication at the pharmacy and I saw a poster in the window about blood pressure checks. There was a gentleman stood outside and I asked him if he had had a check and told him he should because of what had happened to me. I really hope he took my advice. It doesn’t take long, it could save your life.”
Dr Head added: “Our GP practices are also supporting people to manage their high blood pressure. Over the past year, local GP teams have found more than 16,000 people who had high blood pressure. Diagnosing hidden hypertension and giving those people the right care and treatment could prevent 193 strokes, 129 heart attacks and 104 deaths over the next five years. Please take a moment this month to check your numbers – it could save your life.”
If you’re aged 40 or over and haven’t had your blood pressure checked in the last six months, you can visit one of more than 200 participating pharmacies for a free check. To find out where to go and how to understand your results, visit www.hertsandwestessex.icb.nhs.uk/bp