Blood pressure checks
The Gateshead Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) Champions programme is a pilot programme across Gateshead.
Funded by the North-East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) and administered by VONNE as part of the Healthy Communities and Social Prescribing Programme.
You can find our champions at many community venues across the borough. Pop in to have a free blood pressure check or to find out more about CVD.
Where can I get my blood pressure taken?
You can get your blood pressure tested at a number of places, including:
- champion venues
- most pharmacies
- your local GP surgery
Our champion venues are located across the following areas. Please check the opening times for each location on their website.
Our champion venues
Our Gateshead Cardiovascular Disease Champions are made up of local organisations and volunteers across the borough.
Due to limited availability, not all champions are currently offering blood pressure checks for Public Walk in sessions, but they have been trained to provide brief advice and help people find local help and support.
Champions currently offering blood pressure checks to members of the public include:
- Blaydon Family Hub
- Deckham Family Hub
- Felling Family Hub
- Leam Lane Family Hub
- Salvation Army (opens new window)
- Wrekenton Family Hub
Please get in touch with all other champions directly to ask if a volunteer is available to speak to or check your blood pressure. These include:
- 2 Way Tenancy Solutions (opens new window)
- Age UK Gateshead (opens new window)
- Barley Mow Village Hall (opens new window)
- Barmoor HUB (opens new window)
- Bensham Grove (opens new window)
- Birtley Community Pool (opens new window)
- Citizens Advice Gateshead (opens new window)
- Chopwell Woods (opens new window)
- Comfrey Project (opens new window)
- Chowdene Church (opens new window)
- Felling Food Network (opens new window)
- Gateshead Job Centre (opens new window)
- Learning and Skills
- Gateshead Youth Assembly (opens new window)
- Gem Arts (opens new window)
- Purmo (opens new window)
- Skills 4 Work (opens new window)
- Strathmore Methodist Church (opens new window)
- The Glasshouse International Centre for Music (opens new window)
- The Lawnmowers Independent Theatre Company (opens new window)
Thank you all our champion venues.
How will my blood pressure be tested?
An automatic device usually picks up the measurements from sensors in the arm cuff, which are sent to a digital display.
You should get the results straight away.
When should I get a test?
You should have a blood pressure test if you're worried about your blood pressure at any time.
If you have been diagnosed with high or low blood pressure, or you have a high risk of developing either, you may need more frequent checks of your blood pressure.
If you're over 40, you can have this test done as part of an NHS Health Check, which is offered to adults in England aged 40 to 74 every 5 years.
Why should I have a blood pressure test?
If you have a family history of cardiovascular disease, you have an increased risk of developing high blood pressure.
Men are more likely to develop high blood pressure at an earlier age than women.
The older you are, the more likely you are to develop high blood pressure.
Useful resources
Champion resources: Sign Naturally, Skills 4 Work and The Lawnmowers Independent Theatre Company have created a number of accessible videos to help raise awareness of the importance of having your blood pressure checked, as can be viewed in our playlist (opens new window).
British Heart Foundation: Understanding high blood pressure booklet (opens new window)
Blood Pressure UK: