Blood Pressure Awareness Programme Launch

A series of local awareness events and ongoing community engagement aims to increase public understanding of the risks, causes, management, and prevention of high blood pressure.

This month we held a launch event in Edmonton that emphasised the importance of testing, what blood pressure readings mean, and where to get further support.

About high blood pressure

According to current findings, approximately 1 in 3 people have high blood pressure, with an estimate of an additional 5 million that are undiagnosed and unaware of the risk. The likelihood of developing high blood pressure can also be determined by factors such as race and ethnicity, as those of Black African and Black Caribbean descent are 3–4 times more likely to develop high blood pressure than those of White origin. As there is no other way to diagnose or predict blood pressure levels,  it is crucial to undergo frequent blood pressure checks, especially if you come from a high-risk demographic.

Assisting high-risk populations

Our engagement programme aims to assist high-risk populations, those from disadvantaged backgrounds, and individuals who face challenges with accessibility. We are working closely with local people from ethnic groups that are historically more likely to have high blood pressure, including black Caribbean, black African, and South Asian communities and groups who are less likely to be registered with a GP due to language barriers, such as Bulgarian and Romanian communities in Enfield.

Advice & Guidance

We provided important information about the causes of high blood pressure and offered advice on how to lower blood pressure levels. This included reducing salt intake, exercising frequently, increasing fruits and vegetables in diet, cutting back on alcohol or quitting smoking, losing weight, and reducing stress.

However, visiting your GP and informing your doctor is the most proactive course of action. We encouraged all attendees who had higher blood pressure levels following the readings to do.

Some GP practices offer self–operating blood pressure monitors at the reception for independent use. We provided information leaflets to those who had higher blood pressure readings so they can further understand the potential consequences associated with having higher blood pressure and the actions they can take to manage it better.

GP Access

We have been engaging more closely with groups that may not be aware of or have difficulty registering to a GP due to language barriers, particularly with the Bulgarian and Romanian communities living in Enfield.

Programme duration

Our hypertension engagement programme will continue to run until June 2023. As well as host a series of awareness events, we continue to engage with local residents and encourage conversations about their experiences of healthcare services so that we can gather feedback and influence service providers and decision makers to take action.

Blood pressure awareness event dates
https://www.healthwatchenfield.co.uk/events