Blood pressure scheme attracts interest from Japan

The delegation from Japan looked at how health tests are being performed outside of traditional medical venues

An innovative scheme to test people's blood pressure in Barnsley is attracting international attention.

Representatives from Japan have visited the town to learn about the award-winning, community-led, blood pressure-check programme entitled 'How's The Ticker'.

Representatives from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government visited Barnsley to see first-hand how the scheme works.

The initiative, launched in 2022, has delivered more than 8,000 free blood pressure checks across the borough, with the scheme popping up in barber shops, cafes, libraries and workplaces.

The Japanese delegation visited Barnsley to witness how the town uses local data to target residents who are most at risk of heart problems, and how public health teams are reaching people in familiar, everyday settings with schemes such as 'How's The Ticker'.

They continue to urge employers in the area to take part in the scheme by hosting on-site health checks.

The council says the initiative not only improves health outcomes, but also raises awareness about heart health in typically hard-to-reach communities.

The Japanese visit also included a tour of Barnsley's Community Diagnostic Centre at The Glass Works, which provides NHS health checks and screenings in the heart of the town centre.

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