Health in Your Hands Spotlight

Working in partnership with South West London ICB and local GPs in Richmond, Health in Your Hands has engaged with communities to identify those at risk, or already diagnosed with, health conditions such as diabetes, asthma and high blood pressure.

Every September, blood pressure checks are taken by thousands to prevent heart attacks and strokes. Know Your Numbers! Week reaches those who have high blood pressure and don’t know it, so they can get the treatment and support they need to bring it under control.

We had the pleasure of speaking with Wellbeing Coordinator, Jenny Strickland, to explore her thoughts on the service. Client names have been changed for anonymity.

Jenny, what does your role as a Wellbeing Coordinator involve?

The main part of my role is visiting community groups and activities across the borough, offering community health checks and health promotion advice. The locations vary but over the past few months I have been to church coffee mornings, foodbank sessions, surplus food provision, multicultural spaces and community hubs. I have also been to two different events with Age UK and National Play Day at the Children’s Centre.

I offer community health checks which includes blood pressure readings and detecting for atrial fibrillation, alongside body mass index and diabetes risk assessments. Afterwards I spend time with people to discuss the results and how they can best manage their health and wellbeing.

I work with people I meet in the community or referred by their GP to best manage their health and wellbeing by creating an action plan and prioritising what matters to them.

Why do you think that Know Your Numbers! Week is important?

I feel that through providing community health checks, people are usually unaware they have high blood pressure as often there are no side effects or symptoms. There are lifestyle factors which affect your blood pressure and steps you can take to improve your health and wellbeing. These can be simple changes such as managing your weight, keeping active, reducing salt intake and eating more fruits and vegetables. This reduces the risk of developing long term health conditions and I am passionate about supporting people to reduce their risk where possible.

Can you tell us about a Community Health Check where someone has had high blood pressure?

Today, I visited a local Neighbourhood Care Group Tea & Chat. Samuel is a local resident and does not have any diagnosed long term health conditions. Due to this, he  is not under any reviews from the healthcare team.

The first blood pressure reading was high and we repeated this two more times to ensure we had an accurate and consistent reading. We also completed a diabetes risk assessment and based on Samuels’ body mass index, waist circumference and blood pressure this placed him in a higher risk category for type 2 diabetes.

As Samuel doesn’t have a phone, I supported him to contact the surgery directly and arrange an appointment for this afternoon. We agreed there were some further support needs, such as support with sourcing a phone so he is able to engage with healthcare professionals. I have arranged a further one-to-one appointment in two weeks to continue working together with an aim to improve his health and wellbeing.

What does your ‘health promotion’ session explore?

These one-to-one sessions highlight to people that our health is one of the most important factors we should focus on and prioritise. I focus on how people feel they are managing their health and wellbeing and understanding the results from their community health check. The key factors we explore are self-management of long term health conditions, mental health, physical activity, smoking and alcohol intake.

There are also other factors that could influence how people feel, such as caring for someone else. Through listening to the person explain about what they feel affects their health, I use gentle questions to holistically assess their situation. I use a strength based approach to celebrate what is going well and agree actions the person can take forward, including providing resources and further information based on our conversation.

What outcomes have you seen after delivering the programme for 2 years?

I met David at the Public Health Bus in November 2024. He mentioned he had high blood pressure readings in the past although declined having a reading on the day. We sat down and we spoke about what was happening for him and the impact his mental health was having on his physical health. There were some additional stress factors, including finances and housing.

We prioritised connecting David with the Mental Health Practitioner from his GP surgery. I contacted them as I have a positive working relationship and she provided me an update on their first session, which was positive. David had lost trust with healthcare professionals following a negative experience with a close family member so this felt like an important step to engage with his GP.

We continued to build rapport and trust, and during our second appointment agreed to take manageable actions and work at a pace that suited David. The initial focus was to look at support for benefits and financial advice, alongside housing issues. Once David had started to engage with other voluntary organisations for this advice, this gave them the headspace to consider his health and wellbeing.

During an appointment in April 2025, we spoke about his sleeping pattern, weight management and mobility. Together we completed the triage form for the surgery to request an appointment with the GP. David asked me to attend so I could take notes and support him with further actions afterwards as he felt there was a lot to discuss.

Following this GP appointment, I supported David with planning his journeys to hospital appointments. He wasn’t keeping a record of his blood pressure readings at home so we met at the surgery for him to complete this, alongside following up on referrals the GP had agreed to make. After appointments, we would often speak about what had happened and what he wanted to prioritise in terms of next steps.

Since starting this journey, David has now been prescribed medication for high blood pressure. The GP had also requested a blood test and confirmed the client is diabetic. He is now engaging with healthcare professionals and attending appointments, such as reviews. David was referred for a sleep study which has also been positive.

Recently, David said “I needed someone to talk to and make me open up rather than staying silent. I feel better for it and also healthier. My blood pressure and diabetes are not affecting me as much as they used to and I feel things are moving forward in the right direction. Sleep was the main priority for me and now that seems to be working.”

What do you find most rewarding about the job?

I like working with people on a one-to-one basis to best manage their health and wellbeing. I often find that people are overwhelmed and this could be for a number of reasons, such as a mental health condition or multiple long term health conditions.

I find it rewarding to give people the time and space to explore what is important to them and create an action plan. I enjoy being a listening ear that is helping someone create their own priorities and encouraging them to take the next step. Where I am providing encouragement and motivation to people throughout these next steps, it is then positive to see them develop in their own confidence and self management techniques.

How do you relax and look after your own wellbeing?

I enjoy being in nature and going on walks. I like being away from the hustle and bustle of the city. This Saturday I am taking on the Thames Path Challenge to raise money for Ruils!