If you are aged 40 or over, you can have your blood pressure checked free on the NHS here at the pharmacy, as long as you have not been diagnosed with high blood pressure and have not had your blood pressure checked in the last five years. It takes a couple of minutes, you do not need to see your GP first, and we explain your result on the spot.
High blood pressure does not usually cause any symptoms, but it can lead to serious problems such as stroke and heart disease. The only way to find out whether you have it is to get it checked.
You can feel completely well and still have high blood pressure. A check is the only way to know.
Left untreated, high blood pressure raises the risk of both. Finding it early is what makes the difference.
A cuff on your arm, a couple of readings, and your result explained there and then.
The check is free on the NHS if you are aged 40 or over, have not been diagnosed with high blood pressure, and have not had your blood pressure checked in the last five years. It is particularly worth doing if you are at higher risk.
You do not need an appointment or a GP referral. It is particularly important to get checked if you:
In some cases, for example if you have a family history of high blood pressure or are from a higher-risk background, your pharmacist may be able to check you before 40. Ask us.
In our private consultation room. You roll up your sleeve and rest your arm on the table.
A cuff around your upper arm fills with air for a few seconds. The reading may be taken more than once to make sure it is accurate.
We tell you your reading and explain what it means. If it is high, we will usually offer you a 24-hour blood pressure monitor to wear at home, which gives a more accurate picture than a single reading.
A reading is two numbers, such as 130/80. The first is the pressure when your heart pumps, the second when it rests between beats.
Generally not considered high when a healthcare professional checks it. We will still tell you whether it is worth keeping an eye on.
Usually considered high. We will normally offer you an ambulatory blood pressure monitor: a small cuff you wear at home for 24 hours that takes regular readings. This gives a more accurate picture than a single reading in the pharmacy. We share the results with your GP, who will confirm whether you have high blood pressure and what happens next. It is common, and it is treatable.
If your reading is very high, we will refer you urgently to your GP, to be seen within 24 hours.
[CONFIRM WITH RESHMA: does she want a specific number shown for "very high"? Do not add one unless she supplies it.]
Yes, if you are eligible. The check is free on the NHS if you are aged 40 or over, have not been diagnosed with high blood pressure, and have not had your blood pressure checked in the last five years. If you are younger, ask us: in some cases, such as a family history of high blood pressure, your pharmacist may still be able to check you.
No. You can walk in, or book online if you would rather pick a time.
A couple of minutes. The reading may be taken more than once to make sure it is accurate.
A reading of 140/90 or higher, when checked by a healthcare professional, is usually considered high.
We explain what the reading means and will usually offer you a 24-hour blood pressure monitor to wear at home, which gives a more accurate result. We share the results with your GP, who will confirm whether you have high blood pressure and what to do next. If your reading is very high, we will refer you to your GP urgently, to be seen within 24 hours. High blood pressure is common and treatable, and finding it early is the whole point of the check.
People who have already been diagnosed with high blood pressure or are being treated for it, and people who have had their blood pressure checked in the last five years. If you are already diagnosed, your GP surgery will keep monitoring you.
A small cuff connected to a device you wear on a belt. It takes readings regularly over 24 hours while you go about your day, which gives a more reliable picture than a single reading. It is the method NICE recommends for confirming high blood pressure. We show you how to wear it and you bring it back the next day.
[CONFIRM WITH RESHMA: check the "bring it back the next day" detail matches how Caxton runs it.]
High blood pressure does not usually cause any symptoms, so most people who have it do not know. The only way to find out is to have it checked.