The Barcellos Family Practice also allows patients with hypertension to monitor their blood pressure at home and share their blood pressure readings directly and securely with their GP using the Viso app.

High blood pressure, or hypertension, rarely has noticeable symptoms.  But if untreated, it increases your risk of serious problems such as heart attacks and strokes.

Monitoring blood pressure remotely through Viso has multiple benefits.  From the patient’s perspective, booking an appointment and attending the surgery for a blood pressure check will not be necessary.  Monitoring a patient’s blood pressure readings enables healthcare professionals to keep track of a person’s health, provide them with the information needed to look after their health and help them access the right treatment when required.  Taking measurements in the comfort of one’s own home can better reflect blood pressure, as being tested in a medical environment can make some people feel anxious, affecting results.

To register for the Viso BP@Home service, follow this link>> to submit your request to the Practice or speak with a member of our Patient Services team to learn more.  

Why do I need to monitor my blood pressure?

High blood pressure, or hypertension, rarely has noticeable symptoms. But if untreated, it increases your risk of serious problems such as heart attacks and strokes.

If your blood pressure is too high, it puts extra strain on your blood vessels, heart and other organs, such as the brain, kidneys and eyes.

High blood pressure affects more than 1 in 4 adults in England; around 50% of all heart attack and strokes are associated with high BP and it is a major risk factor for chronic kidney disease, heart failure and dementia.

What happens if I don't stay on top of my high blood pressure?

Persistent high blood pressure can increase your risk of some serious and potentially life-threatening health conditions, such as:

• heart disease
• heart attacks
• strokes
• heart failure
• peripheral arterial disease
• aortic aneurysms
• kidney disease
• vascular dementia

Prevention is key:  If you have high blood pressure, reducing it even a small amount can help lower your risk of these health conditions.

If you don’t already have a suitable  BP monitor, please contact us as we may be able to lend one to you free of charge.  And should anyone need guidance and support to use the app to provide their BP readings, our Digital Care Coordinator is available to help.

Once you submit BP readings, your our clinician can view these and advise any changes required to your treatment. 

For more information about Viso, please follow these links to the Omron Healthcare website>>

https://www.omron-healthcare.co.uk/viso.html

https://www.omron-healthcare.co.uk/viso-learn-more.html 

Omron has also provided information on their programme support web page here>>

https://www.omron-healthcare.co.uk/viso-customer-care.html

You can also access practical guidance on reaching your target blood pressure on the Omron Healthcare  website by following this link>>

https://www.omron-healthcare.co.uk/hypertensionplus/educational

The Barcellos Family Practice offers a service which allows people to carry out a urine test at home with a smartphone and a simple urine test kit, which will be sent to their home address.  

As some may be aware, part of the diabetes annual review involves a urinary albumin: creatinine ratio (ACR) test, traditionally conducted by bringing a urine sample to your appointment to be dip-tested.  The ACR test checks your kidney function by testing for particles of protein in your urine called albumin.  If there is albumin in your urine, this means you are at increased risk of kidney disease and heart disease.  If this is picked up at an early stage, you can be put on medication that will reduce your risk of any complications.

The new service will allow patients to self-test in their own homes using the kit and the Minuteful Kidney app, which guides them through the process.  Test results are seamlessly imported to the patient's record via a secure NHS messaging protocol, saving them and their GP time.  

It is essential that ACR levels are tested once a year, and we periodically invite patients who are due or overdue their test to do so using the Minuteful Kidney Service. 

Please find out more about the Minuteful Kidney Service for ACR Testing at Home on the Crane Valley Primary Care Network website here>>