Midlands residents are being encouraged to get their blood pressure checked for free at local pharmacies as part of Know Your Numbers! Week (8–14 September). Hundreds of community pharmacies across the region are offering the service to help people understand their blood pressure readings and take steps to prevent serious health conditions like heart attacks and strokes.
Midlands Chief Pharmacist Richard Seal said high blood pressure often has no warning signs but affects more than one in four adults. “High blood pressure is a silent killer – but it doesn’t have to be,” he said. “Knowing your blood pressure numbers can save your life. Thanks to our highly skilled community pharmacists, people across the Midlands can walk into their local pharmacy and get a free check. It’s quick and easy, and can prevent you having a heart attack, stroke or detect other diseases.”
Over the last 12 months, pharmacies in the Midlands have carried out more than 500,000 blood pressure checks, identifying over 14,000 cases of high blood pressure that have since been managed. Around 800,000 people in the Midlands are estimated to be living with undetected or untreated hypertension.
The NHS Pharmacy Blood Pressure Check Service, launched nationally in 2021, makes it easier than ever for adults—especially those aged 40 and over—to get tested without booking an appointment.
Local Pharmacies on the Frontline
Mal Singh, Pharmacist at Walkers Pharmacy, said:
“We’ve been doing around 70 hypertension checks and 15 Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring (ABPMs) each month, and patients have been hugely supportive. Over the past year we’ve referred numerous patients for urgent same-day GP appointments or directly to A&E, potentially preventing more serious outcomes.”
Zaheer Mohammed, Pharmacist at Shelley’s Pharmacy, added:
“Our Blood Pressure Clinic provides comprehensive services, including 24-hour ABPM. Several patients have been urgently referred back to their GP or A&E for further care. Notably, a few weeks ago, one of our patients was promptly referred to Heartlands Hospital after presenting symptoms of a Transient Ischaemic Attack (TIA).”
A local patient shared their experience:
“I thought high blood pressure was something you could feel – but I felt fine. The pharmacy check showed otherwise, and now I’m making changes that could prevent serious illness.”
A Growing Health Concern
High blood pressure (hypertension) is a leading risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD)—one of the main causes of death in England. According to the British Heart Foundation, someone in the UK dies from coronary heart disease every eight minutes. In the West Midlands alone, pharmacies have found over 33,000 people with high blood pressure in the last six months, enabling early intervention.
Residents can check their blood pressure at community pharmacies, during NHS Health Check appointments for adults aged 40–74, or at their GP surgery. Adults over 40 are advised to have their blood pressure tested at least every five years.
For more information or to interpret a recent reading, the NHS’s Check Your Blood Pressure tool can help you understand what your numbers mean and what to do next.
Key advice: Don’t wait until symptoms appear – take advantage of the free checks to safeguard your heart health.