One love, one heart, one check!
After a weekend celebrating love, Lambeth residents over 40 are being encouraged to show their hearts a little care this Heart Month by dropping into a local pharmacy for a quick, free blood pressure check.
High blood pressure remains a major issue in the borough, with data showing that just over 34% of Lambeth adults have higher‑than‑average blood pressure. Because high blood pressure often has no symptoms and can go undetected, a simple check can make a significant difference to long‑term health. National research also highlights that around 30% of adults with hypertension are unaware they have it, underlining the importance of easy, community‑based testing.
To support awareness across Heart Month, Lambeth Together has released a short video showing how quick and reassuring a pharmacy blood pressure check can be. The video follows a resident walking into their neighbourhood pharmacy, greeting the pharmacist, and having a quick blood pressure test. The message is simple: One love, one heart, one check!
Blood pressure checks in community pharmacies are free for over 40s. They’re also quick and easy, and you don’t need an appointment. You may be asked to sit down for 10 minutes beforehand so you’re relaxed before the reading — this helps make your result more accurate.
Other ways to get your blood pressure checked
You can also make an appointment with your GP. If you already know you have high blood pressure it’s important to have regular checks and take your medication until you’re advised it’s safe not to. In doing so you’re protecting yourself from heart attack or stroke. You can order an approved blood pressure monitor to use at home from the British Heart Foundation.
A Lambeth Together priority
High blood pressure remains a priority for the Lambeth Together Neighbourhood and Wellbeing Delivery Alliance who are working with partners across the borough to prevent the impact and incidence of high blood pressure (hypertension) through early detection programmes and raised awareness amongst communities where we see the highest inequalities.
Read more about the Lambeth Together Neighhourhood and Wellbeing Delivery Alliance.