Case finding

In 2020, a hypertension case finding pilot offered blood pressure checks to people aged 40 years and over. This tested the model for risk identification and prevention of cardiovascular disease. Following the pilot, a hypertension case finding service was commissioned in 2021 as an advanced service.

The service provides an opportunity to identify people who could have their blood pressure measured. Any healthy adult over 40 can have their blood pressure checked every five years as part of the NHS Health Check. It has been reported that NHS Health Checks have found 38 new cases of high blood pressure in every 1,000 checks.

Community pharmacy teams are well placed to help identify patients with previously undiagnosed hypertension and to support those who are known to have high blood pressure, for example, through the New Medicines Service (NMS) or by supporting self management.