Beat the Silent Threat: Blood Pressure Checks at Your Local Opticians!
6 February 2026
High blood pressure often goes unnoticed – yet millions in England live with it undiagnosed. To change that Primary Eyecare Services partnered with NHS England, NHS Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) and Local Optical Committees (LOCs) to pilot blood pressure checks during routine eye appointments. By bringing this simple, life-saving tests into local optometry practices, the pilot is helping identify hidden hypertension earlier, prevent serious health events and support the NHS 10-Year Plan’s focus on prevention and neighbourhood-led care.
In England, statistics show that there are an estimated 4.2 million adults living with undiagnosed hypertension, who are unaware due to it being clinically silent. With patients not having regular GP visits, hypertension remains undetectable. Following the success of community-based pharmacy blood pressure checks which carried out over 1 million assessments in the year prior.
In alignment with the NHS 10-Year Plan, which emphasises prevention and neighbourhood-led healthcare, NHS England developed a pilot supported by the Local Optical Committee Support Unit (LOCSU) which enabled Primary Eyecare Services to work in partnership with Local Optical Committees (LOCs). Together, they identified an opportunity to deliver this service directly within local optometry practices. By integrating these checks into routine eye appointment visits, the pilot enables earlier identification of high blood pressure, supporting timely interventions and improving patient outcomes through lifestyle changes and medical treatments. This approach brings vital preventative care closer to patients’ communities and strengthens the role of optometry in public health.
The Hypertension screening pilot aims to reach patients with raised blood pressure and potential undiagnosed hypertension, reducing their risk of heart attacks and strokes. By reaching individuals who may not attend other primary care settings, it educates them on their health risks, showcasing the vital step forward in community care by revealing hidden medical issues during an eye checkup.
The pilot was delivered by Primary Eyecare Services in partnership in four areas in England: Greater Manchester, Lancashire and South Cumbria, Gloucestershire and Cheshire and Merseyside.
Since the beginning of the pilot to August 2025, in Greater Manchester, a total of 4,652 blood pressure checks were conducted across optometry practices in the service. Of those individuals, 22% were referred on for further evaluation and 44 patients later received urgent life-saving medical assistance, as a result of their blood pressure test results. The delivery of the service was seamless and flexible, allowing any staff member of the practice, clinical or non-clinical who had completed the training modules, to administer the blood pressure checks to individuals who met the eligibility criteria.
The service has received high patient satisfaction, with 99.4% of patients praising the service and stating that they would recommend the service to family and friends, with patients describing the service as professional, friendly and efficient. Primary Eyecare Services were fortunate to conduct two interviews with two patients who benefited from the service. Both patients gave positive feedback on their experience and the service, where following their high blood pressure readings, immediate action was taken prompting further referral for investigations.
The optometry practices participating in the pilot took part in a structured survey, where they were able to provide their insight into their experiences of implementing the service. Results indicated a highly positive response, suggesting that majority of practices faced minimal challenges when integrating the pilot. Feedback reinforced optometry’s role as an integral partner in preventative healthcare.
Dharmesh Patel, Chief Executive of Primary Eyecare Services stated, “The pilot reflects the importance of optometry’s role in supporting the NHS’ 10-Year Plan of neighbourhood-led healthcare, offering convenient, accessible and effective care for more patients across England.”
Julia Maiden, Clinical Lead for the Pilot in Greater Manchester said, “The data highlights the service’s effectiveness in identifying undiagnosed hypertension – an intervention that can significantly reduce long-term cardiovascular risk.”
As the pilot draws to an end and is currently under evaluation for all four areas. This pilot is a practical demonstration of the NHS’ 10-Year Plan of paving the way forward to implement public health strategies, ensuring patient feedback and experiences is at the core of future services and actions.