New heart health project targets women at risk

A new "heart health" community programme is targeting women aged 40 to 74 whose needs may be overlooked.

Your Heart, Your Move is offering free heart health checks, expert support and information to residents in north Doncaster who "often go under the radar".

The project's aim is to help women understand their heart health before a problem develops, detect risks earlier and take action.

Dr Karen Forshaw, clinical director at Doncaster North West Primary Care Network, said: "Many people have no idea they're at risk until something goes wrong. This programme is about turning that around."

Funded by the British Heart Foundation's Healthcare Implementation Fund, health professionals will visit about 20 venues across the city over the next 12 months where residents can drop in and discover their personal heart health score.

Those who attend will receive guidance on how to use the NHS App and access local services supporting healthy eating, physical activity and wellbeing without the need for a referral.

While men can attend, there will be a specific focus on providing additional support over 12 weeks to women aged 40 to 74 because this demographic group can be overlooked.

The targeted support for people will include healthy cooking sessions, physical activity, mindfulness and stress support, sleep advice, and nutrition guidance - with follow-up checks to track progress.

Forshaw said: "We're bringing simple checks and real, practical support into the heart of local communities so people can understand their risk, take action earlier, and feel genuinely supported in looking after their heart health.

"It's focused on women because they often go under the radar in terms of health checks and heart checks.

"I think we think of it as a male disease and it's really not. It's the second biggest killer of women."

She said "what we eat and what we do" were really important in keeping healthy and people not being informed made it more difficult to stay healthy.

"What is really sad is that unhealthy food is much cheaper often than healthy stuff - so that's a huge problem."

The partnership, between Primary Care Doncaster, Doncaster North West Primary Care Network, Be Well Doncaster, Doncaster Council, Recipe4Change, Doncaster Culture and Leisure Trust and Redmoor Health, is intended to support people in the community and not just in a clinical setting.

Further dates and venues for the project, which launched in Bentley on Saturday, can be found through local GP practices, community venues, social media and partner organisations.

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