‘Mass screening!’ – an innovative healthcare delivery approach to stroke prevention in Wandsworth

September 23, 2019

Mass screening! – an innovative healthcare delivery approach to stroke prevention in Wandsworth

Stroke-busting health checks at-a-glance

• In Wandsworth, nearly 2000 people have undiagnosed atrial fibrillation (one of the main risk factors for stroke) and 35,000 people have undiagnosed hypertension.
• Detection of AF through health checks will prevent strokes, helping communities live longer, healthier and happier lives.
• If you are Black and of African or Caribbean origin you are twice as likely to have a stroke, and at a younger age, than the Caucasian population. This project aims to reduce inequalities by making sure everyone has access to the care they need.
• It’s a better experience – tailored to what people actually want and need.
• Trains people who are embedded in their communities to do new roles that can support the health service and introduces new models of care for people by working closely with community groups and faith leaders to target at-risk communities.

Stroke-busting health checks for Wandsworth

To increase detection of the main cardiovascular risk factors across the most deprived areas of the borough, HIN Innovation Grants will fund a new project to offer ‘Stroke Busting Health Checks’ to 1,000 people at greatest risk of stroke in Wandsworth.

This co-produced, community-led scheme will see the NHS partner closely with faith and community groups, led by Wandsworth Community Empowerment Network, to use mobile ECG devices to test people for irregular heart rhythms (a warning sign for stroke) and offer wider health advice. The health checks will include Atrial Fibrillation (AF) checks using innovative mobile ECG devices, diabetes testing, blood pressure, cholesterol, and body mass index. They will be an opportunity to talk about the risk of smoking, including the direct link to stroke.

It is widely recognised that hard to reach groups have greater health inequalities and poorer health outcomes, with Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities at substantially higher risk of poor health and early death, including due to stroke. Traditional NHS approaches aren’t working well enough – these communities are less likely to attend NHS health checks, despite being the most at risk. Therefore, this team is going to work in an innovative new way to go to these communities and work alongside local leaders to engage people.
In total, the project aims to perform at least 1,000 “Stroke Busting Health Checks” in hard-to-reach communities at high risk of stroke. It will use healthcare assistants from local GP practices to offer regular checks through a hub and spoke model of engagement in high volume places of worship and association, including temples, mosques and churches.
To support the checks and help engage the community in this work, the team will also produce a bespoke film, distributed through social media, featuring local faith and community leaders with a call to action to take part in the checks. This culturally specific content can support other health projects elsewhere in the borough and beyond.

The project is expected to increase awareness of stroke and cardiovascular disease as well as reduce the prevalence of stroke in the Borough. All those identified at risk of stroke through the checks will be supported to attend further tests and commence treatment. Faith and community leaders will trained and upskilled to support and encourage their communities to access additional services where needed, including registering with GPs.

Find out more about our work in stroke prevention

Innovator Spotlight

Dr. Nicola Jones, a GP and Chair of Wandsworth Clinical Commissioning Group said:

“The people of Wandsworth can look forward to a new and innovative local approach to stroke prevention. At the moment, over a third of people invited for a health check do not attend. We’re using this funding to kickstart an innovative new collaboration between Wandsworth community leaders and the health service, working hand-in-hand with local groups to get our services to those who need them most.

By targeting hard-to-reach communities we will reduce health inequalities and we expect this grant to be the first step in developing a new approach to screening that will benefit the communities we serve.”

Malik Gul, Director of Wandsworth Community Empowerment Network, Wandsworth, said:
“Together, we’re bringing health checks into the community in a way that is unique and transformational. The approach unlocks the value and capabilities held in communities – in mosques, churches, temples, as well as in community groups and associations. This is a vital network of microsystems – the project is creating an innovative, emergent system that can offer the NHS new ways to make early health interventions more effective and work towards reducing health inequalities.

“Leadership has been essential – senior people across Wandsworth have been brave enough to say yes, we need change and yes, we’re ready to get behind this. Without strong collaborative and cross-sector leadership, the NHS would not be working in these new ways.”