Latest news with #healthchecks
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Health checks could start at 30 in 'national first'
People living in a seaside town could be offered health checks from the age of 30 in a national first for the NHS, a senior doctor said. The free screening is usually offered to those aged 40 to 74, but that could be lowered in Clacton-on-Sea to tackle health inequalities. Dr Ed Garrett revealed the plan at a Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB) meeting on Tuesday and said it was "progressing" forward. But an NHS spokesman said the idea was "very early stages". The health check aimed to detect if people were at higher risk of getting certain illnesses, including heart disease, diabetes and strokes. It involved screenings, including cholesterol and blood pressure tests. Dr Garrett said it would be a "national first" if the proposal went ahead. "Given life expectancy [in Clacton], we feel it's important that health checks are delivered earlier," he said. The seaside town has been the focus of concerted efforts by the NHS to stop deprivation leading to health inequalities. Chief Medical Officer Sir Chris Whitty visited in 2021, having authored the Coastal Communities report. In it, he said these towns suffered from high rates of serious illnesses and lower life expectancy among residents. Ian Davidson, chief of Tendring District Council, also said people living in some parts of Clacton had a life expectancy 18 years lower than in wealthier parts of Essex. When approached by the BBC to provide more details on its health checks plan, an ICB spokesman said it was still in its infancy. He added: "We'll share more details as soon as we are able." Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. Life expectancy gap of 18 years in parts of Essex Whitty: Deprived coastal towns need redesign Seaside poor health overlooked, warns Whitty Suffolk and North East Essex ICB
BBC News
27-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
NHS could lower health check age limit in Clacton-on-Sea
People living in a seaside town could be offered health checks from the age of 30 in a national first for the NHS, a senior doctor free screening is usually offered to those aged 40 to 74, but that could be lowered in Clacton-on-Sea to tackle health Ed Garrett revealed the plan at a Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB) meeting on Tuesday and said it was "progressing" an NHS spokesman said the idea was "very early stages". The health check aimed to detect if people were at higher risk of getting certain illnesses, including heart disease, diabetes and involved screenings, including cholesterol and blood pressure Garrett said it would be a "national first" if the proposal went ahead."Given life expectancy [in Clacton], we feel it's important that health checks are delivered earlier," he said. The seaside town has been the focus of concerted efforts by the NHS to stop deprivation leading to health Medical Officer Sir Chris Whitty visited in 2021, having authored the Coastal Communities it, he said these towns suffered from high rates of serious illnesses and lower life expectancy among Davidson, chief of Tendring District Council, also said people living in some parts of Clacton had a life expectancy 18 years lower than in wealthier parts of approached by the BBC to provide more details on its health checks plan, an ICB spokesman said it was still in its added: "We'll share more details as soon as we are able." Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
RNZ News
23-05-2025
- Health
- RNZ News
Free health checks in Upper Hutt on Saturday
Thirty healthcare agencies are offering free health checks in Upper Hutt on Saturday. Photo: RNZ / Diego Opatowski An Upper Hutt medical centre is holding a day of free health checkups in an effort to make healthcare more accessible to the Hutt Valley community. Gain Health Centre has partnered together with 29 healthcare agencies for its 'Wellness Day' on Saturday at Ōrongomai Marae. A GP would be at the event for consultations and general check-ups. Other providers will be available for specialist care, including cervical screenings, blood and glucose tests, and diabetes, heart and gout education. Scheduled and flu vaccines would also be free for all age groups. "There are thousands of patients without a GP in Hutt Valley and many of the practices' books are closed due to low resources," Gain Health Centre practice manager Anna Guest said. She said with after-hours health services and hospitals overloaded, the challenges in primary care were the worst they had been in 20 years. "There is a large barrier with access to healthcare in our community which means many people are not getting health screenings and access to services, like vaccinations, when they need them," Guest said. "These are essential for early detection, diagnosis and prevention." Gain Health Centre is part of the Doctors Medical Centres network and Green Cross Health. The Wellness Day started three years ago when Guest, alongside Gain Health Centre's nurse lead, Hannah Bradley, were inspired to start the initiative while at a Green Cross Health conference. Guest estimated that hundreds of people showed up to last year's Wellness Day, and she encouraged more people to come along to this year's event. "Just come along for the day and talk to any of the agencies," Guest said. Guest said while times could be tough for some, all agencies wanted to support and improve the health of the community. "We are extremely grateful for the support Ōrongomai Marae has given us and the hard work everyone has done to bring this event together." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
The Sun
15-05-2025
- Health
- The Sun
Man, 32, put feeling ‘under the weather' after his wedding day down to sickness bug – six months later he was dead
A HEARTBROKEN woman who became a widow in her 30s has told of the shock loss of her 32-year old husband just months after their wedding. Edward Burr died aged 32 in October 2024 after suffering with an underlying heart condition, which wife Laura Burr, 31, feels could have been spotted if the NHS carried out routine health checks. 5 5 5 Laura and Edward tied the knot on April 6 2024 after six years together. The day after their wedding, Laura said Edward complained of feeling unwell, but the couple put this down to being in a room with around 60 of their loved ones. 'That escalated into going into our local hospital and him being diagnosed with pneumonia,' Laura said. There, it was also found Edward's heart was behaving 'abnormally' and he was transferred to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford – but on the ambulance journey, Laura said it was found he was in 'active heart failure '. Laura, from Banbury, Oxfordshire, said Edward then 'deteriorated' in the middle of July and on July 19, he underwent open heart surgery at the Harefield Hospital in London – where he had a machine, known as a biventricular assist device (BiVAD), fitted to help pump his heart. 'He was put on the transplant list a week later and he was there until he passed away as they couldn't get a heart for him in time,' Laura said. Edward died on October 7 2024 as a result of multiple organ failure caused by heart failure – two days after Laura's birthday. During his time in hospital, it was discovered Edward had dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) – a disease of the heart muscle where the chambers become enlarged and the muscle wall becomes thinner and weaker. 'The pneumonia tipped his body over and he couldn't deal with the heart problem we didn't know he had,' Laura said. Online connection In March this year, Laura connected with another widow, Gabby Evans, 32, from Burnley, Lancashire, on TikTok, where they had both been using the platform to document their grief. My daughter thought she had pains in her legs from wearing high heels but then she died in the A&E carpark 'I can't remember who sent the first message but I followed Laura's story and she followed mine because it's quite nice to see someone else going through it – and the rest is history,' Gabby said. Gabby and Laura now talk every day to navigate becoming widows in their 30s – which they say they take 'one day at a time'. 'Some days you don't want to get out of bed and see the sunshine, I just want my person back,' Laura said. 'If he had full tests earlier it may have been picked up sooner' Gabby's partner, Tom Brakewell, died in January 2025 at the age of 34 having also suffered from an underlying heart condition. Having been together for six years, the pair purchased their first home in December 2022. Gabby said Tom started experiencing headaches in August 2024, which the couple put down to him spending time in front of screens. After visiting a doctor, it was found Tom had high blood pressure and he was prescribed medication to help – but he then started having chest pains in January 2025. 'He was admitted to hospital for a week on January 18 because they thought he'd had a heart attack, but it was the high blood pressure causing similar symptoms,' Gabby said. 'They got his blood pressure down and he was discharged – he was fine and he said he felt okay.' I turned on the light and just knew instantly something wasn't right, I started doing chest compressions before the paramedics came Gabby Evans Three days later, Gabby said she woke up in the morning and found Tom had 'stopped breathing'. 'I turned on the light and just knew instantly something wasn't right, I started doing chest compressions before the paramedics came,' she said. 'They worked on him for about 45 minutes before they made the decision they couldn't carry on and Tom wasn't with us. 'I was with him when they pronounced him.' Tom had suffered with a cardiac arrest, and he died on January 28 2025 – with the cause later determined to be high hypertension and coronary heart disease. 'His heart was damaged and he'd had it for a long period – if he had full tests earlier it may have been picked up sooner,' Gabby said. Gabby said loved ones have since told her Tom was planning to propose in March 2025, but he 'never got the chance'. She added: 'I knew who I was before I was with Tom, I knew who I was while I was with him – I have no clue who I am after Tom.' Call for mandatory health checks Laura, who works for Scottish Power, and Gabby, a registered nurse, have never met in person, but they now speak to each other every day to 'check in' and navigate their grief together, which they take 'one day at a time'. Together, they have launched a petition this month to call for mandatory health checks for those aged between 25 and 35 – with the aim of detecting and preventing underlying conditions, and to ensure 'no-one would have to go through what we've gone through'. 'We don't want Tom and Edward to have died for no reason, their deaths have to count for something and maybe this petition is why,' Laura said. 'We wanted to spend the rest of our lives with them, they were going to do wonderful things in the world and now they're not able to.' Gabby added: 'I like to picture them up there sat on a sofa, watching Lord Of The Rings together and wondering what we're getting up to down here. 'If our campaign can get just one person to check their health, it's worth it and we've done our job.' 5 Laura said if Edward and Tom had been tested earlier or they had any kind of health MOT, it would have been picked up earlier and they may have had more time with them. Gabby added: 'If we were to have these mandatory health checks, no one would have to go through what we've gone through. 'Grief and losing someone is part of life, but not at this age.' A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: 'Our deepest sympathies are with the families of Edward and Tom. 'The NHS's life-saving health checks are targeted towards those at higher risk, preventing around 500 heart attacks and strokes every year and stopping people developing a range of diseases. 'To increase availability and uptake of the checks, we are developing a new online service that eligible people can use at home to understand their risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.' To find out more, visit their petition here. The signs something could be wrong with your heart Chest pain Chest pain, pressure, or tightness, often called angina, is a common symptom of heart disease. It may feel like squeezing, pressure, or heaviness. Shortness of breath Feeling short of breath, especially during activity or at rest, is a significant sign. This can be worse when lying down or waking up at night. Fatigue Unusual fatigue, especially when it interferes with daily activities or occurs with shortness of breath, can be a warning sign. Swelling Swelling in the legs, ankles, or feet (edema) can indicate fluid buildup, which may be caused by a heart problem. Irregular heartbeat Palpitations (feeling your heart racing or fluttering) or an irregular heartbeat can be a sign of an arrhythmia, a problem with your heart rate or rhythm. Dizziness and fainting Dizziness, lightheadedness, or fainting can be a sign of reduced blood flow to the brain, which can be caused by a heart problem. Pain in other areas Pain or discomfort may spread to other areas of the body, such as the arms, jaw, neck, back, or stomach.
BBC News
15-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Japanese officials taking tips from Barnsley health scheme
An innovative scheme to test people's blood pressure in Barnsley is attracting international from Japan have visited the town to learn about the award-winning, community-led, blood pressure-check programme entitled 'How's The Ticker'.Representatives from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government visited Barnsley to see first-hand how the scheme works. The initiative, launched in 2022, has delivered more than 8,000 free blood pressure checks across the borough, with the scheme popping up in barber shops, cafes, libraries and workplaces. The Japanese delegation visited Barnsley to witness how the town uses local data to target residents who are most at risk of heart problems, and how public health teams are reaching people in familiar, everyday settings with schemes such as 'How's The Ticker'.They continue to urge employers in the area to take part in the scheme by hosting on-site health checks. The council says the initiative not only improves health outcomes, but also raises awareness about heart health in typically hard-to-reach Japanese visit also included a tour of Barnsley's Community Diagnostic Centre at The Glass Works, which provides NHS health checks and screenings in the heart of the town centre. Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North
