STUDENT nurses partnered with GP practice teams last week to provide potentially vital health checks to Forest of Dean residents.

On April 17, at Vantage Point in Mitcheldean, 51 people were given health checks by a team of student nurses from the University of Gloucestershire, identifying patients who may not have been aware they had high blood pressure or be at risk of Type 2 diabetes. Practice teams were able to update records for those registered with a Forest GP.

It comes as part of “The Nurses on Tour programme” which gives trainee nurses valuable first-hand experience of primary care and supporting people’s health across Gloucestershire.

Sarah Rogers, Lead Nurse for Gloucestershire Primary Care Training Hub, NHS Gloucestershire said: “In addition to blood pressure checks, the team offered body mass index (BMI) checks and point of care hba1c testing as part of their diabetes screening.

“The project continues to support student nurses to understand the role of primary care nursing, with some of the first students now working in our surgeries in Gloucestershire which is a mark of its success.

The project continues to expand its work with partners across the health and care system to ensure areas of health inequity and inequality are served.”

Members of Forest of Dean Integrated Locality Partnership (ILP) initiated the event which was well supported by staff and employers at Vantage Point. The Active Wellbeing Lead from Forest of Dean District Council was also in attendance to support people to local services.

The NHS said sometimes working age adults may not visit their GP or take their blood pressure reading through other ways like home testing. The event allowed the NHS to help residents understand the importance of knowing what their blood pressure reading is.

More advice can be found on the NHS website.