The number of people being supported to manage their high blood pressure has increased more in East Berkshire, Surrey Heath, Farnham, and North East Hampshire than anywhere else in the country.

The Frimley Health and Care Integrated Care System (ICS) has been ranked third nationally for its efforts, a significant jump from its previous 33rd place in 2020/21.

This improvement is the result of a joint effort by local GP practices and pharmacies, coordinated by NHS Frimley, and promoted by authorities and voluntary sector partners.

Mahmuda Ullah, Frimley Health and Care Integrated Care System’s head of prevention and reducing health inequalities, said: "If you have high blood pressure, bringing it under control is so important to your overall long-term health.

"I want to commend everyone across Frimley Health and Care for the incredible joint efforts which have meant many more people are now being supported to manage their conditions and have seen Frimley Health and Care become the most improved Integrated Care System in the country for this area of work."

High blood pressure, often referred to as the 'silent killer', is a significant public health risk as it can lead to serious and potentially fatal health conditions such as heart attacks, strokes, kidney and heart disease, and even dementia.

Dr Lalitha Iyer, chief medical officer for NHS Frimley and a GP in Slough, said: "We’re delighted with the progress we’ve made in recent years and I would like to thank everyone who has worked so hard to bring about such a transformation and to our head of prevention and reducing health inequalities for coordinating these efforts.

"We’re determined to do even better for our residents and support even more people, because every percentage point increase in our performance means more lives saved or improved.

"I would also like to take the opportunity to encourage anyone who doesn’t know what their blood pressure is to have theirs measured as soon as possible, even if they feel fine."

High blood pressure can be caused by a number of factors, including poor diet, low activity levels, and anxiety, but it can also be hereditary.

Living a healthy lifestyle, with regular activity and a balanced diet, and maintaining a healthy weight can reduce risk of high blood pressure.

Some people may need to be prescribed medication to help them to successfully manage their condition.

More information on checking and managing blood pressure can be found online.