Islington residents can now receive a 30 minute consultation that calculates their risk of having a heart attack, stroke or developing diabetes in the next ten years - at their local pharmacy.
NHS Islington is using Telehealth Solutions' CardioPods in 10 pharmacies in the area to measure blood pressure, BMI, cholesterol and blood sugar. The readings are then used to assess a patient's risk of developing cardiovascular disease and sent directly to their GP.
Islington has areas with some of the highest levels of economic deprivation in the country, and has high rates of deaths from cardiovascular disease, especially among under-75s. The idea is to identify risk factors for cardiovascular disease and diabetes, and supporting people to reduce or manage their individual risks.
This can include support to stop smoking, lifestyle advice such as sensible drinking, simple ways to increase physical activity, and how to maintain a healthy diet. Where medical advice is required, pharmacists will advise the patients and refer them to their GP.
Paul Whitehouse, Telehealth Solutions' Business Strategist for Public Health said: "Cardiovascular disease costs the UK more than £17 billion in healthcare resource. If we can catch people earlier, before they have an incident, then we can not only save the NHS massive costs over the next ten years - we can save people's lives."
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About Telehealth Solutions
Telehealth Solutions was founded in 2006 to bring the convergence of technology and changing clinical practice to the benefit of patients and clinicians. The company has since grown rapidly both in the UK and internationally. Its employees are dedicated to providing the most secure, scalable and robust methods for collecting information from patients, without the need for clinical intervention, and getting that information to clinicians and carers looking after those patients.