Opticians in Humber and North Yorkshire are playing a greater role in detecting high blood pressure and other potential triggers for coronary heart disease.

More than 60 opticians are currently offering blood pressure checks as part of their eye test assessments as part of this successful pilot scheme.

The current pilot is now set to be expanded, with additional NHS England funding being provided to NHS Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) who are delivering the initiative.

Nizz Sabir, one of the participating primary care optical practices and Clinical Lead for Optometry at the ICB stated:

“The hypertension service allows us to help deliver first contact care to the public and reduce cardiovascular disease risk through early intervention.

“Working as a multidisciplinary team with other primary care colleagues in pharmacy and general practice, means that we can improve access and become more efficient in helping support those people who would otherwise not have known they are at risk of hypertension and thereby cardiovascular disease.”

The majority of patients made lifestyle changes because of their BP reading and nearly half of patients tested reported they would not have had their blood pressure checked otherwise.

Debra Leadbetter, Primary Care Programme Lead – Dental and Optometry at Humber and North Yorkshire ICB said:

“Our design and delivery of this service has been recognised as a potential blueprint for the future. Patients are satisfied with having their blood pressure taken within an optical setting and happy to be referred on to other services when required. We are sharing our learnings with colleagues as part of the wider NHS England pilot to offer even more patients the convenience of getting a BP check during an eye test.”

Most patients referred onward by opticians during the pilot were seen in community pharmacies, with small numbers being seen by GPs and urgent care services. One patient from North Yorkshire was referred to A&E the same day for the blood pressure to be managed as an emergency where she was prescribed medication.

 Katherine Friis, Optometrist Director at Specsavers Ripon, said:

“I decided to take Alex’s blood pressure and found it to be dangerously high at 190/120. We had just completed training to offer blood pressure measuring in the community. I immediately referred her to A&E the same day for the blood pressure to be managed as an emergency where she was prescribed medication”

Given the success of the pilot and the additional funding available, expansion of BP checks into dental practices is being explored for next year.

For more information contact:

Humber and North Yorkshire ICB’s primary care team via email: hnyicb-ny.primarycarecontracts@nhs.net