Dentists and opticians in England are to begin running blood pressure checks at appointments to help find people at hidden risk of strokes or heart attacks.
Following the success of community pharmacy blood pressure checks – which have already helped more than a million people keep on top of their risk of cardiovascular disease, without the need for an appointment – the new NHS scheme is set to be offered at routine dental and optometry appointments within the coming months.
According to the NHS, 4.2 million people in England are estimated to have high blood pressure, but as it usually presents no symptoms, they often have the condition without knowing it.
For anyone with high blood pressure, reducing it by even just a small amount can help lower the risk of secondary conditions such as strokes, heart attacks, kidney disease, vascular dementia, and more, but the only way to know if you have high blood pressure is to get a blood pressure test, and people often don’t think to get them.
Dentists and opticians are to start running blood pressure checks at routine appointments / Credit: Ksenia Chernaya (via Pexels) | rawpixel
This is why NHS is rolling out its new dental and optometry scheme very soon, after already piloting it parts of London and Yorkshire earlier this year.
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15 local integrated care boards across England are taking part in the scheme six areas – with more than 60 clinical practices involved, and in excess of 100,000 blood pressure checks expected to be delivered over the next 12 months.
The new service will focus on case finding at dentists, five in optometry, and four will be offering checks at both dental and optometry sites.
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The NHS hopes it’ll reach patients who may not otherwise have interactions with its services.
The NHS says these checks will help to spot those at risk of strokes, heart attacks, and more / Credit: cnull.de
“These convenient checks at dentists and optometrists will enable thousands of people to monitor their blood pressure and could potentially be life-saving,” commented Helen Williams, who is the NHS’s National Clinical Director for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention.
“Many otherwise healthy people over 40 only visit their GP when they’re feeling unwell, but offering these vital checks as part of routine dentist or eye test appointments means we can identify and support more people at risk.
“High blood pressure is a significant factor in many cardiovascular diseases but as it usually has no symptoms, many people don’t know they have it, so I would urge anyone offered a check to come forward.”
Murder investigation launched as man dies two years after ‘life-changing’ Oldham attack
Emily Sergeant
A murder investigation has been launched following the death of a man who was attacked two years ago in Oldham.
Ramon Logan was left seriously injured following the assault, which took place in Oldham back in July 2024, resulting in life-changing injuries, and a man was even jailed following the attack while Ramon continued to fight for his life.
Sadly, Ramon died on 30 June at the age of 42.
A Home Office post-mortem has taken place and further reviews are being conducted to determine the cause of death.
Following this and further enquiries that have been carried out, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has confirmed that officers have now launched a murder investigation, but no arrests have been made as of yet.
Speaking as the murder investigation has been launched, Detective Inspector Andy Day, from GMP’s Oldham district, said: “We know how difficult and painful the last two years have been for Ramon’s family, and we are continuing to support them following his death last week.
“We have now launched a murder investigation, and are keeping his family updated as we progress our enquiries. We are assessing all available material and will be making further reviews in due course.”
Ramon’s wife, Charlotte, has also paid tribute to him: “It is with a broken heart I announce the passing of my beautiful husband, Ray Logan, on 30th June. Ray was a loving husband, father, son, brother, and friend to many, and will be missed immensely by everyone who knew him.
“Ray was a part of so many people’s lives, and as much as we all have our existing memories to remember him by, it is heart-breaking that we won’t get to make any new ones.
“Ray never stopped fighting to get better for the last two years, all we can wish for now is that he gets the justice he deserves.”
Featured Image – GMP
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Yet another major Deansgate Locks nightlife spot has closed in Manchester
Daisy Jackson
Deansgate Locks is set to lose yet another of its nightlife spots, with Ark confirming it will be shutting its doors ‘within weeks’.
The multi-room, multi-storey, multi-genre nightclub has been part of the canalside development for more than a decade, having first opened back in 2014.
At that time, Deansgate Locks was arguably Manchester’s leading nightlife destination, drawing hundreds of students and party-goers to its mix of venues.
The railway arches have been home to iconic clubs and bars including Baa Bar, Lola Lo, Revolution, and Sugar Buddha, as well as The Comedy Store.
But with news that Ark Manchester is closing too, it leaves only Popworld left at what was previously one of the city’s hottest destinations.
In a statement shared with the Manchester Evening News, a spokesperson for Stonegate said: “The hospitality sector continues to face significant challenges.
Ark Manchester will be closing for goodIt leaves Deansgate Locks with just one venue
“After careful consideration, and despite our best efforts, Ark Manchester is no longer commercially viable and we have taken the difficult decision to close the venue.
“Our priority is to support our hard‑working team during this time, and we would like to thank them for their commitment and dedication. We would also like to thank our guests and the local community for their support over the years.”
It’s believed that Ark Manchester will close on Deansgate Locks in the next few weeks.
Emily Sergeant -
3rd September 2024 
