Pharmacies help with high blood pressure
Community pharmacies team up to tackle high blood pressure
Pharmacy Voice launches a new report to help local pharmacies reach those with high blood pressure and make sure they get the support they need
At the end of February, Pharmacy Voice, an organisation which represents community pharmacies across the UK, launched a new report setting out how pharmacies can take on a bigger role in preventing and treating high blood pressure. Tackling High Blood Pressure through Community Pharmacy was developed with support from Public Health England and explains how pharmacies can work with other local organisations, such as the NHS and local government, to find those with undiagnosed high blood pressure and make sure they get the support they need to improve their health.
We went along to the official launch of the report, the 2017 Pharmacy Voice Forum on Community Pharmacy, to hear about the plans. They include 12 recommendations to help pharmacies and other organisations to learn from what works and take action - for example they recommend that all pharmacies have blood pressure monitors in store, and that the information, advice and treatment offered to patients is joined up between pharmacies and local health professionals.
Hemini Bharadia, Marketing Manager at Blood Pressure UK, said:
“We fully support the new plans set out by Pharmacy Voice, giving guidance to pharmacies and other organisations across the country to team up to tackle high blood pressure. Their ideas show how pharmacies can make the most of their unique place within neighbourhoods to reach out to the community and help people to lead a healthier life.
“They’ve highlighted the importance of working together - with local governments, the NHS and even local employers - to find those with undiagnosed high blood pressure and make sure they get the treatment and support they need. This year we are campaigning to prevent stroke by lowering the nation’s blood pressure – the single biggest risk factor for stroke. We hope that pharmacies, health professionals, politicians, commissioning groups and employers across the UK will get involved to support our campaign and the ideas set out by Pharmacy Voice and join the fight to lower blood pressure at a local and national level.”
Get involved
Order resources to support people with high blood pressure
Take part in our annual Know Your Numbers! week and organise a Pressure Station. Whether you’re a health professional, employer or work for a local pharmacy, you can help reach people with undiagnosed high blood pressure by setting up a station for people to have their blood pressure checked, and get advice on keeping blood pressure under control.
Get involved with our campaign to Stop Stroke
Read more
Read what Pharmacy Voice say about their new report
Read the full report:
Tackling high blood pressure through community pharmacy