On average, each month, 85,000 people in North Yorkshire are living with heart and circulatory diseases. These diseases cause more than one in four deaths across the county according to the British Heart Foundation.
Getting your blood pressure checked can be a crucial step in preventing heart attacks and strokes. High blood pressure is a leading cause of these conditions, yet it often presents no symptoms until it's too late.
High blood pressure can also contribute to vascular dementia. While around 100,000 people in North Yorkshire have been diagnosed with high blood pressure, many more remain unaware that they have it.
During Blood Pressure UK’s Know Your Numbers Week, from Monday 2 September to Sunday 8 September, North Yorkshire Council is raising awareness about the dangers of high blood pressure.
To help with this, 30 libraries, six supermobile library locations and health kiosks across North Yorkshire are offering walk-in blood pressure checks. These services not only help reduce the strain on doctors' surgeries but could also detect life-threatening conditions early.
In the Skipton and Ripon constituency, self-service pressure stations are available at Bentham community library, Grassington hub and community library, Ingleton community library, Ripon library, and Skipton library.
Commenting Skipton and Ripon MP, Sir Julian Smith, said, “I strongly encourage everyone to take advantage of the free blood pressure checks available. High blood pressure is often a silent condition, but early detection can be life-saving. Taking a few minutes to get checked could make all the difference for your long-term health.”
