Birmingham City Council have launched a campaign aiming to encourage more local people to get their blood pressure checked.
The campaign is part of the Million Hearts Programme, a cardiovascular health initiative, and is being delivered in partnership with Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care System and its Healthy Hearts Scheme.
It comes after research found that 3 in 10 adults with high blood pressure go undiagnosed. High blood pressure is a common yet less-known cause of wider cardiovascular diseases, the leading cause of death in England.
Birmingham City Council are particularly looking to encourage Black African and Black Caribbean individuals to get their blood pressure checked, with people in these communities often being affected by unexpected cardiovascular disease, due to lower blood pressure testing rates. They aim to address the issue by raising awareness of high blood pressure and the health complications it can cause, and by encouraging the public to get checked at one of several new blood pressure testing locations across the city.
The campaign will see people able to get their blood pressure tested in a range of local venues over the coming weeks. The key message Birmingham City Council want to iterate is that a simple, five-minute check can save lives by reducing the risk of heart attacks and strokes. The campaign will be displayed on social media, bus stops in Birmingham, and broadcast on local radio.
Cllr Rob Pocock, Interim Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care at Birmingham City Council, said: “Our hope for the campaign is that by encouraging frequent blood pressure checks, and creating testing that is accessible to all, we can ensure that we are able to reach more people, and provide them with the potentially lifesaving treatment they may need.”
For more information on the campaign launching across Birmingham this month, visit: www.birmingham.gov.uk/millionhearts.