Health experts in Sefton are urging local residents to find out if their heart is happy and get their blood pressure checked for free as part of Know Your Numbers! Week (September 9-15).

Shockingly, 30,000 people in Sefton have high blood pressure and don’t know, this puts them a higher risk of stroke, heart disease, kidney disease and dementia.

Professional’s from Sefton Council, Living Well Sefton (LWS), NHS South Sefton Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and NHS Southport and Formby CCG are working together to encourage residents to know their numbers and help prevent heart attacks or a stroke so that they can live healthier for longer.

Throughout Know Your Numbers! Week, Living Well Sefton will be offering free blood pressure checks at the following locations:

• Smokefree Sefton, Bootle Strand – Monday, 9 September, 10am-12pm
• Southport Community Centre – Tuesday, 10 September, 10am-12pm
• Feel Good Factory, Netherton – Wednesday, 11 September, 10am-12pm
• Sefton Opera, Bootle – Wednesday, 11 September, 1pm-2.30pm 
• Parenting 2000, Mornington Road, Southport – Thursday, 12 September, 2pm-4pm
• Strand by Me, Bootle Strand, – Friday, 13 September, 10am-12pm

Living Well Sefton will also be offering mini health checks, including a blood pressure test, at Strand by Me in Bootle, Thursday, 12 September, 10am-12pm.

Many key risk factors for developing high blood pressure are largely lifestyle-related such as eating too much salt, not enough fruit and vegetables, being overweight, drinking too much alcohol and not taking enough exercise. High blood pressure is also more likely in older people, if it runs in your family and if you are of African, Caribbean or South-Asian descent.

Cllr Ian Moncur, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing, said: “It is so important to keep on top of your health and so I am urging Sefton residents to take this opportunity to get your blood pressure checked for free.

“High blood pressure is a largely preventable and treatable condition but contributes to the leading causes of death. Having your blood pressure checked is an important step to knowing and reducing your risk of stroke, heart attack or heart failure.”

Karen Nolan, Living Well Sefton programme manager, added: “We are happy to be part of Know Your Numbers! Week and can support local people to make minor lifestyle changes that can make a big difference to their blood pressure.

“The Know Your Numbers campaign is a great way to raise awareness of keeping track of your blood pressure but we want to let residents know Living Well can offer support all year round.”

Brendan Prescott, deputy chief nurse at NHS South Sefton CCG and NHS Southport and Formby CCG, said: “Many pharmacies across Sefton will provide information and advice on simple steps to keep blood pressure under control and some will measure your blood pressure accurately.

“A blood pressure check is quick, free, painless and could save your life. You can also have a free blood pressure check in your GP surgery or use an appropriate and recommended home testing machine.”

To find your nearest pressure station online visit: www.happy-hearts.co.uk