‘Know your numbers’ this blood pressure awareness week

Patients and staff at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (OUH) are being encouraged to get their blood pressure checked as part of this year's 'Know Your Numbers' blood pressure testing and awareness week (Monday 2 September – Friday 6 September).

The Trust's Here for Health team, working with the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Maternity Working Group and Health Checks Oxfordshire, will be running blood pressure pop-up stands across OUH sites so people can measure their blood pressure and understand how to reduce health risks.

Stand locations are as follows:

• Monday 2 September: Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, main entrance, 11am-1pm
• Tuesday 3 September: Women’s Centre, John Radcliffe Hospital, Level 5 training room, 10am-12 noon (Women’s Centre staff only)
• Tuesday 3 September: West Wing, John Radcliffe Hospital, main entrance, 12.30-2.30pm
• Wednesday 4 September: Horton General Hospital, MAC room, 11am-1pm
• Thursday 5 September: OUH Cowley, Level 1 meeting room 2, 11am-1pm (OUH Cowley staff only)
• Friday 6 September: Churchill Hospital, main entrance, 11am-1pm.

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, puts people at an increased risk of developing a range of medical problems such as heart attacks, cardiovascular disease (CVD), strokes, eye problems, kidney disease, heart failure, and heart rhythm problems.

Lifestyle changes, such as improving your diet and exercising more regularly, and earlier detection can save lives and reduce health inequalities.

In total, CVD contributes to a quarter of all deaths in the UK. However, CVD doesn't affect everyone equally, as those those from South Asian and Black groups are at higher risk, and CVD also accounts for one-fifth of the life expectancy gap between the most and least deprived communities in England.

Emma Hagues, Here for Health Service Development Manager at OUH, said: "Regular blood pressure checks help people manage their health, lowering the risk of serious conditions and enhancing wellbeing.

"Raising awareness about blood pressure is also vital in addressing health inequalities, which is a key focus for us. Regardless of age, it's important to monitor and control blood pressure, as high blood pressure is not an inevitable part of aging and can be managed at any stage of life."

The EDI Maternity Working Group, a multidisciplinary team focused on improving staff wellbeing and inclusion, will be promoting and supporting the events. Carina Okiki, a Specialist Midwife for EDI at OUH, said: "Hosting a stand at the Women's Centre and at the Horton makes the events more accessible and should enable more staff to attend this year. We look forward to seeing as many of them as possible."

High blood pressure is very common, especially in older adults. There are usually no symptoms, so people may not realise they have it.

People can get their blood pressure checked at a pharmacy or GP surgery:

• If you think you might have high blood pressure or might be at risk of having high blood pressure,
• As part of the NHS health check offered every five years for those aged between 40 and 74.

Tackling inequalities

As the health improvement advice centre for OUH, Here for Health work with health partners and community organisations across Oxfordshire to improve healthcare access – and therefore enhanced health outcomes – for the communities the Trust serves across the county.

Working with Refugee Resource, the team conducted 18 'mini health checks' for women from a Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) background. This included measuring waist/height radio, BMI, and risk score calculations.

The conversations focused on blood pressure monitoring at home and how lifestyle choices can help reduce their risk of type 2 diabetes.

On a second visit, Here for Health spoke with 25 women from diverse backgrounds and of various ages about the signs and symptoms, strategies to alleviate symptoms, and the experiences of menopause in different cultures and lifestyle factors that impact on menopause. Here for Health also collaborated with Move Together to offer the women a chance to become walk leaders to promote activity within the group.

In addition, more Oxford women from diverse backgrounds are taking up more physical exercise after taking part in women-only and more culturally appropriate swimming classes, arranged in partnership with Achieve Oxfordshire.

All 25 Muslim women – from Afghanistan, Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Pakistan, Palestine, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Tanzania – who took part in the project last winter said they would like to continue swimming in women-only sessions.

One woman said she is exercising more regularly and eating more healthily, while another said she is now "looking after myself so I can look after my family better".

Dr Anny Sykes, Deputy Chief Medical Officer at OUH, said: "Detecting high blood pressure early significantly improves the chances of preventing strokes, heart attacks, and long-term health issues. By 'knowing your numbers', people can manage potential risks and potentially save your life, so we urge people to get a blood pressure check when they can.

"Finding and treating high blood pressure has been identified in NHS England's approach to reducing healthcare inequalities. Thank you to Here for Health colleagues, and the partner organisations they work with, for running events that improve healthcare access for people across Oxfordshire."