Healthwatch tackles high blood pressure

Healthwatch staff giving a blood pressure reading to Emily Thornberry at the Cally Festival in July 2023.

Hypertension is a medical term describing high blood pressure. It’s estimated one in five people in Islington have the condition but only half of them know they do. Salty and fatty foods, not getting enough exercise, and smoking and drinking alcohol all contribute to the risk of high blood pressure. Residents from poorer households and African, Caribbean, and South Asian backgrounds are more likely to be affected. Left untreated, high blood pressure can lead to stroke and heart attack and the only way to find out whether you have the condition is to get your blood pressure measured.

In July 2022, we hosted a week-long stall at Chapel Market in Angel. We gave blood pressure checks to over 600 people. We gave out information and advised on lifestyle changes that could lower risk. In the nearly two years since that time, we have continued to work to raise awareness of the issue. So much so that we've rarely been seen at a community event without our trusty blood pressure monitors and leaflets from the British Heart Foundation. But now that the project has finished, it's time to take stock of what has been achieved:

• We gave blood pressure checks to over 1300 people
• Everyone we spoke to was given information about hypertension, its causes and impacts, and ways to avoid or manage the condition 
• We identified over 130 people with undiagnosed hypertension. We directed them to seek another blood pressure check in a pharmacy or at their GP practice. The health professional would then be able to advise them if hypertension was confirmed.
• We helped residents who wanted to improve their health to think about what they could do to maintain or regain healthy blood pressure. We pointed them in the direction of services in the community such as exercise classes and walking groups and provided information resources. 
• Over 25 volunteers took part in the project
• We worked with our partners to host 'Healthy Hearts' workshops attended by 175 residents speaking other community languages