NHS trials blood pressure checks in optometry practices

The NHS is trialling blood pressure checks in optometry and dental practices across England, to help identify and support people at risk of high blood pressure.

It is estimated that 4.2 million people in England have high blood pressure without knowing, as it usually has no symptoms.

The scheme could help find people at risk of stroke or heart attacks and engage patients who may not otherwise have interactions with NHS services, an NHS press release stated.

The NHS shared that 15 local integrated care boards in England are participating in the scheme, with five areas focused on case finding in optometry, six at dentists, and four offering checks at both dental and optometry sites.

The scheme will involve more than 60 clinical practices across England, and it is anticipated that more than 100,000 blood pressure checks could be delivered over the next 12 months.

The expansion of the scheme follows trials in London, where five optical practices in Bexley and Hackney offered blood pressure checks to patients. A survey of those tested indicated that around half would not have otherwise had their blood pressure checked.

In Humber and North Yorkshire, trials were carried out in 24 dental practices, where around one in 10 patients tested were found to have hypertension.

Helen Williams, NHS national clinical director for cardiovascular disease prevention, said: “These convenient checks at dentists and optometrists will enable thousands of people to monitor their blood pressure and could potentially be life-saving.”

Wiliams pointed out that as high blood pressure usually has no symptoms, many people do not realise they have it.

“Many otherwise healthy people over 40 only visit their GP when they’re feeling unwell, but offering these vital checks as part of routine dentist or eye test appointments means we can identify and support more people at risk,” she shared.

Andrew Gwynne, minister for public health and prevention, emphasised the importance of early identification to help prevent serious conditions.

“This programme is an important step towards delivering community-focused healthcare, helping to shift the focus from treatment to prevention and helping people to live well for longer,” Gwynne said.

The scheme follows the success of NHS community pharmacy blood pressure checks, which delivered more than a million checks in the last year.