The Evidence
To have a chance of reducing the impact of heart disease, we also want to catch the signs and symptoms of a problem as early as possible. We can then start treating people early to prevent future heart attacks or strokes.
Across Devon we have agreed targets to increase the number of people identified early, and treated effectively, for three key cardiovascular risks responsible for the majority of heart disease:
- Atrial fibrilliation causes an irregular and abnormally high pulse rate, and can lead to stroke.
- Everybody’s blood pressure is slightly different but high blood pressure (or hypertension) is usually recorded as a blood pressure consistently above 140/90 (150/90 in those over 80 years) and can lead to heart attacks, heart disease and stroke.
- High cholesterol levels in the blood can also lead to heart disease.
Importantly, all of these can be treated by medications, and tackled by changes in lifestyle, if identified early.
The NHS Health Check – a new way
The NHS Health Check is a free check up for adults aged 40-74 across Torbay and England. The check assesses our risk of developing heart disease, stroke, kidney disease or diabetes. The majority of checks are arranged through our GP.
In Torbay, primary care teams have been piloting new ways to offer the NHS Health Check, working to reach out into our communities in partnership with local community organisations. The aim is to overcome barriers to accessing healthcare and work with community organisations to support healthy hearts in the community.
Outreach Health Checks were trialled at three organisations in Torbay including The Haven, Paignton Community Hub & The Crafty Fox Café and Hub. To make it as easy as possible, no booking was required and the check took just one appointment of 20 minutes compared with the normal two appointments. As well as doing the health check, clients were able to speak to the NHS social prescribing link workers who joined the events to help people to support their wider health and wellbeing.
NHS Health Checks were done in the community and a range of long-term problems were picked up including pre-diabetes, high blood pressure and people at high risk of cardiovascular disease who may benefit from starting statin medications. This information was electronically sent back to the GP surgeries.
The primary care teams have gone on to upskill the host community organisations in doing blood pressure checks for their clients.
The Paignton Community Hub has also been offering blood pressure checks and have so far done over 134 blood pressure checks for people already using the building. Anyone can pop in to get a check on Monday and Friday. Feedback has been very positive and people return for further checks.
What did people tell us about the outreach health check model?
Paul’s story
Paul had struggled to access his GP practice because he had problems using the digital system. He had not been to see his GP since before the Covid pandemic.
He came into the community organisation as he has a trusted relationship with the volunteers. He took up the opportunity of a health check which found he had high blood pressure and high blood sugar levels. He had other physical health conditions and was also lonely and experiencing problems with his mental health.
Following the check, his results were sent back to his GP to arrange follow up, and he was linked up with a social prescriber to help with practical and social support.
Peter Campion
Healthcare Assistant at Corner Place Surgery
“It was better having the social prescribers there when we had the session in the library, as quite a lot of the problems that the clients had were more to do with things social prescribers could sort out”
“I can only hope that people we told had high heart disease or diabetes risk would take heed and change their habits. …if even only one did then it was something.”
John McGuinness
GP at Corner Place Surgery and Population Health Fellow, Devon Training Hub
“Leading this work as a collaboration between the Paignton and Brixham Primary Care Network, the Public Health team and our local community organisations has been an exciting and inspiring project. I clearly see the value in this way of working and building strong relationships and trust with community organisations to support the health and wellbeing of their service users. I fundamentally believe that to prevent, detect and optimise cardiovascular disease this needs to happen working in partnership with the community. This feels like some of the most important work I have done as a GP and we plan to continue to work together and be open to ideas and conversations with the community.”
Watch John's video below
Rory Honney
GP at Mayfield Medical Centres and Public Health Consultant
“Primary care and Public health are natural allies in improving the health of our population. For me nowhere is this clearer than how we are coming together around the cardiovascular disease prevention agenda. Understanding how we can support and amplify each other’s work only stands to benefit our population.”
“Cardiovascular disease accounts for almost a quarter of the gap in life expectancy between our most, and least deprived communities. As a GP, tackling cardiovascular disease is one of the most effective ways I can contribute to reducing health inequalities in our community.”
Useful links
- NHS Health Check - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
- The Haven – Torbay – Changing Lives – Giving Hope – For a Brighter Future (haventorbay.co.uk)
- New Community Hub Opens at Paignton Library - Healthwatch Torbay
- Crafty Fox Cafe N Hub - Devon Connect
- Corner Place Surgery | Social Prescribing / Social Prescribing at P&B PCN | Facebook
- NHS Devon (onedevon.org.uk)
- Atrial fibrillation - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
- High blood pressure (hypertension) - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
- High cholesterol - NHS (www.nhs.uk)