Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICB
Irregular blood pressure is a common cause of serious health problems, such as heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease, dementia and falls, but only 56% of people aged over 40 in Nottingham have taken up a free NHS check in the last year.
To coincide with the national ‘Know Your Numbers’ campaign, events are taking place across the city this week (8-16 September) to raise awareness about maintaining healthy blood pressure and prevent more serious health conditions.
More than 100 organisations in the city are supporting this year’s campaign, including the NHS, community groups, churches, pharmacies, public service providers and sporting bodies.
Dr Husein Mawji, GP and Clinical Director at Nottingham City Place-Based Partnership, said: “High blood pressure is known as ‘the silent killer’ because it usually has no symptoms and yet it can easily be detected by a quick, painless test in hundreds of high street pharmacies without an appointment, and it is free of charge for people aged over 40.
“Moving from sickness to prevention is one of three major shifts in the new NHS 10-year plan. Untreated high blood pressure can cause many serious health conditions, so it is vital that we keep raising awareness about regular testing, early detection and treatment.”
Take-up of blood pressure tests in the black community is lower than average in Nottingham, despite black people from the city being between 1.5 and 2.5 times more likely to suffer a fatal stroke.
Nottingham’s Rev. Clive Foster MBE, the recently appointed national Windrush Commissioner is supporting the campaign by helping to raise awareness in the black and ethnic minority community.
The Pilgrim Church in the Meadows area of Nottingham, where he is a Senior Pastor, is hosting one of the 17 community events taking place around the city during Know Your Numbers Week, where free blood pressure checks will be available for local people, alongside a range of other healthy living advice.
Rev Foster said: “It’s important that within the minority communities, health is seen as an important factor and that there is an open communication and conversation to get their health checked.
“Unfortunately, we do know through the data that a number of people from the ethnic minority communities, particularly the black community, are really suffering from blood pressure issues. It’s important to get checked early because preventative action is the best action.”
Further information about events taking place during Know Your Numbers campaign, and details of how to access free blood pressure checks in pharmacies, is available from the NHS Nottingham & Nottinghamshire website.
