Derbyshire County Council received funding to deliver a pilot project allowing business owners can access free health checks for their staff.
The council has been successful in bidding for £36,000 of funding which will be used to run free NHS Health Checks and Live Life Better Derbyshire MOT plus in workplaces across the county.
Derbyshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Health and Communities Councillor Carol Hart said: “By identifying risk factors such as high blood pressure early, we can help people to get the support and treatment they need to reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease and avoid heart attacks and strokes.
“In turn this helps people to live well for longer as well as helping to boost our local economy.”
Every year, more than 1.3 million people in England take part in an NHS Health Check and this helps prevents an estimated 300 premature deaths.
Evidence shows that the age of people having cardiovascular disease (CVD) events such as strokes and heart attacks is getting younger, meaning more working age people are now being affected.
Evidence also shows that some groups such as men are less likely to get early help, and by targeting workplaces the council can engage these groups.
Around 1 in 3 people who have a heart attack and 1 in 4 strokes are in people of working age, with a third of stroke survivors not returning to work afterwards.
Derbyshire’s Healthy Workplaces team will be delivering free NHS Health Checks and Live Life Better Derbyshire MOT Plus to workplaces across Derbyshire until March 2025.
A health check lasts up to 45 minutes and is carried out by a trained health advisor.
During the check the advisor will measure cholesterol and glucose levels from a fingertip blood test. They will take blood pressure, height, and weight as well as ask some lifestyle questions.
The advisor will talk about your current health and discuss any early signs of heart disease and other health conditions like stroke, kidney disease, type 2 diabetes or dementia.
