NEW CLINICS
These clinics are free and open to anyone from Carcroft over 40.
TV ACTOR KEITH BARRON LAUNCHES NEW HEART SCREENING SERVICE Targeting over 40s in borough's deprived communities
TV star Keith Barron is backing a new NHS health check service that is aiming to reduce the number of Doncaster people who die prematurely from heart disease.
The Mexborough born actor is fronting up an advertising campaign to promote Test Your Heart - a new screening service funded by Doncaster Primary Care Trust (PCT) that targets the over 40s living in the borough's most deprived areas.
Heart disease is one of Doncaster's biggest killers and particularly prevalent in disadvantaged areas like Balby, Denaby, Moorends and Wheatley. The town is in the worse 20 per cent of local authority areas in the country when it comes to the number of people aged under 75 who die from the disease, currently ranked 72 out of 354.
"These facts ate frightening and it is understandable that many people don't want to visit their doctor's surgery for fear of getting bad news, said Keith.
"Heart disease can not only affect someone's own life but it also affects their loved ones. But the good news is that heart disease is preventable and taking action to improve heart health may be easier than people think. I think it is better to have your heart checked out now with a few simple tests rather than wait to be struck down with heart disease in a few years time."
Currently around 15 per cent more Doncaster people die from the disease than the average for the rest of the country, thought the trend is steadily getting better with year on year improvements since 1998. In 2006 169 people died from the disease, compared to 206 in 2004, but more still needs need to be done.
But now anyone aged over 40 who lives in Askern, Balby Bridge, Carcroft, Clay Lane, Denaby Main, Hexthorpe, Highfields, Hyde Park, Mexborough, Nether Hall, New Rossington, Stainforth, Toll Bar & Almhlme, Woodfield and Woodlands can get a free heart check on request. Test Your Heart are visiting local libraries and chemists where local people are able to book an appointment for the check at a time, date and place that suits them. Appointments can also be booked through the careline, by ringing 08000 121 808.
Martha Mayhew, Head of Health Improvement at Doncaster PCT, said: "The heart check is quick and involves taking simple blood pressure, cholesterol, blood glucose and other measurements, plus a few lifestyle questions.
"This is a new initiative for Doncaster and aimed at people who find it hard to go to their doctor's surgery, for whatever reason. The key point is that you don't have to feel ill to think you need a check, it is an easy way to put your mind at rest by seeing a nurse and giving your heart a well overdue MOT."
Fore more information and to get a step-by-step look at what will happen during the test, go to www.testyourheart.org.uk OR TO BOOK CALL FREEPHONE 08000121808 NOW AS THEYRE IN THE DONCASTER AREA