The NHS is to pilot offering patients blood pressure checks at dental and optometry appointments across 15 ICBs to help find those at risk of heart attacks and strokes.
The scheme will launch in the ‘coming months’, with six ICBs piloting dentist blood pressure checks, five optometry blood pressure checks and four offering the service at both.
It follows a trial of the service in Humber and North Yorkshire in 24 dental practices, where around one in ten patients tested were found to have hypertension, and in London with five optical practices.
NHS England said it expects over 100,000 checks to be delivered over the next 12 months via the scheme.
Speaking at the European Society of Cardiology annual conference in London, Helen Williams, NHS national clinical director for cardiovascular disease prevention, said: ‘These convenient checks at dentists and optometrists will enable thousands of people to monitor their blood pressure and could potentially be life-saving.
‘Many otherwise healthy people over 40 only visit their GP when they’re feeling unwell, but offering these vital checks as part of routine dentist or eye test appointments means we can identify and support more people at risk.
‘High blood pressure is a significant factor in many cardiovascular diseases but as it usually has no symptoms, many people don’t know they have it, so I would urge anyone offered a check to come forward.’
Andrew Gwynne, minister for public health and prevention, added: ‘By checking our health and getting help early on we can prevent serious conditions such as heart disease and stroke – which is why schemes likes this, that make it easier and more convenient, are so important.
‘This programme is an important step towards delivering community-focused healthcare, helping to shift the focus from treatment to prevention and helping people to live well for longer.’
It follows the launch of the Know Your Numbers campaign today, which hoped to fund those with undiagnosed and uncontrolled high blood pressure through home monitoring. Run by Blood Pressure UK, the campaign encourages those of all ages to check their blood pressure in a drive to prevent heart attacks and strokes.
List of ICBs participating
Dentists and optometrists:
- Hertfordshire and West Essex
- Lincolnshire
- North Central London
- Humber and North Yorkshire
Dentists only:
- Mid and South Essex
- Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West
- Kent and Medway
- Birmingham and Solihull
- North East London
- Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire
Optometrists only:
- Lancashire and South Cumbria
- Greater Manchester
- Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICB
- Cheshire and Merseyside
- Gloucestershire
