Check your blood pressure this Know Your Numbers Week

Residents in Cheshire West and Chester are being offered free health checks to help beat a potentially serious condition that shows no symptoms.

Blood pressure checks will be taking place across the borough during Know Your Numbers Week, a national campaign run by the charity Blood Pressure UK.

The aim of the campaign, supported annually by Cheshire West and Chester Council and Brio Leisure, is to reach those who have high blood pressure and do not know it. People can then access the treatment and support they need to bring it under control.

Cllr Val Armstrong, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health, said: “Around a third of adults in the UK are estimated to have high blood pressure, but most people don’t know because it doesn’t have any symptoms.

“The only way to find out is to get a blood pressure check, which doesn’t take long and is really easy to do.

“High blood pressure can lead to heart attacks, strokes and other illnesses so it’s important to find out if yours is high. You can then get support to bring it under control and prevent these conditions.”

The theme for this year’s Know Your Numbers Week, from 5 to 11 September, is Measure, Modify, Manage. This refers to measuring your blood pressure to see if it is under control, modifying your lifestyle if necessary and managing your blood pressure and health to prevent serious illness.

Council company Brio Leisure is offering blood pressure checks in a series of drop-in sessions during Know Your Numbers Week. These include:

• Ellesmere Port Sports Village, from 1pm to 2pm on 5 September, from 1.30pm to 2.30pm on 6 September, from 5pm to 6pm on 7 September and from 9am to 10am on 8 September
• Northgate Arena, from 1pm to 3pm on 6 September, from 3pm to 5pm on 8 September, from 1.30pm to 3.30pm on 9 September
• Winsford Lifestyle Centre, from 11.30am to 1.30pm on 5 September and from 11.30am to 1.30pm on 7 September
• Wyvern House, in Winsford, from noon to 2pm on 6 September
• Neston Library, from 2pm to 4pm on 5 September
• Northwich Memorial Court, from 10.30am to 12.30pm on 5 September and from 3.30pm to 5.30pm on 8 September
• Lache Community Centre, from 1.30pm to 3pm on 8 September
• Frodsham Leisure Centre, from 9am to 10am on 5 September and 8 September.

Free blood pressure checks are also offered by GPs, pharmacies, some workplaces, some gyms and health clubs and as part of an NHS Health Check or Well Man Clinic.

A Well Point kiosk is available in the foyer of Winsford Lifestyle Centre, which allows residents to take a mini health check, including blood pressure monitoring.

Chester resident John Elliot said: “I came for a mini health check at Brio and was told my reading was high and I was signposted to my GP for further assessment.

“My GP advised I had developed high blood pressure, so I decided to try and address the problem through lifestyle changes and was referred to the Cheshire Change Hub.”

The Cheshire Change Hub offered John free membership at his local Brio leisure centre for 12 weeks with support from a Health Improvement Lifestyle Officer.

“By the end of the three months I was delighted to find that my blood pressure had returned to normal, I felt much healthier and have taken out my own gym membership to further improve my fitness,” he said.

For videos and fact sheets which teach you how to take your blood pressure readings at home visit: 

www.bloodpressureuk.org.

For more information on the Cheshire Change Hub visit: 

https://cheshirechangehub.org.

For more information on Brio’s drop-sessions call: 

0300 777 0033