DIY health checks help free patients from trips to GP

AMILNROW pensioner is keeping on top of his diabetes and heart problems by doing his own health checks.

Every morning Brian Hodgson, 70, takes his blood pressure, measures his weight then sends the readings off digitally to his nurse to check everything’s OK.

It’s part of a pioneering new health scheme called Closercare aimed at allowing patients to monitor their own health from home.

If any of Brian’s readings give cause for concern the medics call him in for a more detailed examination.

But if everything looks fine then Brian is free to go about his life without the need for time-consuming regular trips to the doctors.

Brian said: “It was very reassuring to know that my readings were being monitored so carefully.

“The nurses have been wonderful and have really looked after me. I would recommend this service to anyone who has similar health problems to mine - the whole service is brilliant.”

Brian has been working with a heart failure specialist nurse at Rochdale Infirmary who introduced the new service to him.

He said: “My nurse Toni explained the whole process to me and then a chap came round to my house and showed me how to use the equipment and submit the readings. It was really easy as I’m not a technical person at all.”

Brian had been making lifestyle changes, including taking more exercise and healthy eating and was taking better care of his own health, after suffering with pneumonia in December 2016. He said: “It came as a real shock.

“I was really poorly - I couldn’t walk, my heart rate was so fast and I was struggling to breathe.

“The hospital took really good care of me and have done ever since. I have lost two stone and have been getting regular checks and taking part in Closercare has helped me to manage my condition even better.”

Brian, who is a patient at Milnrow Village Practice, is now thinking about investing in his own blood pressure machine so that he can monitor himself.

The programme will be running until June 2018.

For more information visit hmr.nhs.uk/testbed. ●●Brian Hodgson takes his own blood pressure, measures his weight then sends the readings off digitally to his nurse to check everything’s OK as part of a new Closercare health scheme