Patients in Whittlesey can take their own blood pressure at their local doctors surgery thanks to a fund raising drive to buy easy to use equipment.

%image(15901638, type="article-full", alt="New Queen Street Surgery, Whittlesey. Blood pressure monitor was "unveiled" in the waiting room at the New Queen street surgery. Left: Helena Papworth-Practice Manager and Bob Wicks Chair of the Practice Participation Group. Picture: Steve Williams.")

The blood pressure monitor is in the waiting room at the New Street Surgery which was recently praised by inspectors for the high level of service they provide to people in town.

Set behind a privacy screen, patients can go and check their own blood pressure on an easy to follow instruction system.

If the level they are given is above a certain number they may then make an appointment with their GP for further checks.

Money for the equipment was raised by holding a cake stall over two days of flu jabs at the venue last year plus donations from patients.

Councillor Kay Mayor who sits on the patient participation group said: “Patients get a print out of their reading so they can clearly see the result.

“It has proved popular since setting up we hope it can help detect blood pressure issues before they become big problems.”

New Street Surgery was recently praised by Care Quality Commission inspectors who looked at the way the staff deal with patient consent to care and treatment, care and welfare, cleanliness and infection control and complaints handling.

Cllr Mayor said: “We got a superb rating and passed with flying colours.”