HWE ICB Pilot to enhance blood pressure checks for residents in deprived areas
Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care Board (HWE ICB) has been selected as one of 15 pilot areas nationally and one of only four to receive funding for both dental and optometry services to offer blood pressure checks. This pilot programme aims to improve healthcare accessibility for residents in deprived areas by providing alternative channels for blood pressure (BP) checks.
The pilot will focus on the following areas: Watford, Dacorum, Hatfield, Stevenage and Harlow. HWE ICB has successfully recruited 9 dental practices and 5 optometrists to take part in the pilot. Pharmacies nearby to these providers may wish to make contact.
DENTAL
| Broadwater Dental Practice | 302 Broadwater Crescent, Stevenage |
| Bedwell Dental Surgery | 62 Bedwell Crescent |
| The Dental Tree Exeter Close | 5 Exeter Close, Stevenage, Herts |
| Alexandra Dental Practice | 98 Alexandra Road, Hemel Hempstead |
| Market Street Dental Practice | 8 Market Street, Watford |
| Blue Cross Dental Care | 10 The Parade, High Street, Watford |
| Bupa Dental care Watford | 97 St Albans Road Watford |
| Hemel Smiles Studio | 69 Marlowes, Hemel Hempstead |
| Community Dental Services CIC | Addison House, Hamsted Road, Harlow |
| OPTOMS | |
| Specsavers Hatfield | 80 Town Centre, Hatfield |
| Hemel Opticians | 143 Marlowes, Hemel Hempstead |
| Specsavers Hemel Hempstead | 252-254 Marlowes, Hemel Hempstead |
| Specsavers Harlow | 10-12 Broad Walk, Harlow, Essex |
| Boots Opticians Harlow | 37 Broadwalk, Harlow, Essex |
Training for the participating dental and optometry staff is scheduled for August 2024, with the aim to commence BP checks in September 2024. The programme will be evaluated by the ICB Research and Innovation Hub.
In cases where a high BP reading is detected, these providers will signpost patients to a local community pharmacy that is providing the hypertension case-finding service from information on the NHS website. The pharmacy will retake the blood pressure test and Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring (ABPM) will be offered where appropriate in in line with the national specification for the Hypertension Case-Finding Service.
