A HYDE GP surgery has launched a community campaign to deliver health checks from a new bus facility.
The Brooke Surgery, on Marker Street, will provide the NHS checks form the dedicated site, which will be positioned outside on both weekdays and the weekend from Monday, March 2 to Sunday, March 8 to support local patients.
The initiative is designed particularly to reach people who may struggle to attend appointments during traditional surgery hours, including those working shift patterns or non-standard schedules, as well as those in need of health checks and eligible for the pop-up campaign.
Local data also shows 69.2 per cent of adults in Tameside are overweight or obese and 20.2 per cent smoke, both key contributors to cardiovascular disease.
Across Greater Manchester, about 7.4 per cent of adults are living with diabetes and projections suggest up to one in four people could develop the type two strain during their lifetime.
Heart disease remains one of the leading causes of early death across Tameside, with the under-75 mortality rate recorded at 107.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 76.0 per 100,000 nationally.
NHS Health Checks are available to adults aged 40 to 74 who have not already been diagnosed with heart disease, stroke, kidney disease or diabetes.
Eligible patients are being identified through practice records and contacted directly, while residents who believe they may qualify are encouraged to get in touch to see if they qualify.
The free appointment includes blood pressure and cholesterol checks, a review of weight and lifestyle factors and personalised advice to help reduce future risk.
Dr Nabeel Arshad, GP at The Brooke Surgery, said: “Conditions such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes often develop without obvious symptoms.
“Prevention is about identifying risk early and supporting people before more serious problems develop.
“We know that many residents locally work shifts or busy schedules, which can make attending routine appointments difficult.
“By delivering these checks from a visible pop-up health bus outside the surgery, we are making access simpler and more immediate for those who may otherwise delay seeking preventative support.”