The NHS in England is expanding its free blood pressure tests in the community to include barber shops, mosques, and pharmacies.
It is part of an effort to treat more patients who have dangerous but undetected high blood pressure.
Experts believe that expanding the availability of the tests beyond GP surgeries will be beneficial.
However, the signs are not always visible.
In May, high-street pharmacies administered 149,865 blood-pressure checks to people over the age of 40, up from 58,345 the previous year.
Furthermore, new funding under the primary-care access recovery plan will result in an additional 2.5 million blood-pressure tests in community pharmacies, which is expected to save more than 1,350 heart attacks and strokes each year.
High blood pressure raises the chances of having a heart attack or stroke.
John Maingay, from the British Heart Foundation, urged people to take up the local checks, saying: “It’s quick, easy and could help save your life.”
Current venues include:
- Barber’s shops, supermarkets, and community centres in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, via How’s Thi Ticker?, run by the NHS and council
- a Brixton dominoes club, via Black Thrive, MYcommunity Lambeth and the NHS
- Birmingham Central Mosque
And GPs in Warrington are even offering home checks via an app.