Health Navigators: Preventing disease and saving lives

We are grateful to have heard back from people how we have positively impacted their lives.

Hong Kong event at Trinity Church Sutton   Young people training to be Health Navigators

So far, Volunteer Centre Sutton and an NHS local GP, Dr Vidhya Thiagamoorthy, have trained 77 volunteers at the Volunteer Centre Sutton office, of which many are still very much actively volunteering as Health Navigators.
 

Thanks to the volunteers for giving up their time. To date they have done an astounding over 3300(!) health checks and over 180 sessions since the start of the project. More coming this month!

The sessions take place across the Borough in GP surgeries, community groups and events, libraries, leisure centres, and many more.

Picture from Phoenix Leisure Center Healthy you EventThe Health Navigators see people with high blood pressure (BP) and send their results to their GP surgeries. These results then get reviewed by their GP and go on to BP medication which hopefully prevents any cardiovascular diseases.

Many residents report back that they feel relief that something bad could have happened which has now been caught, and can hopefully be prevented through careful management now that they and their health team are aware of their measurements.

Our Health Navigator PamOne particular example was last year, a resident Viv, showed a dangerously high blood pressure reading during a routine health and wellness check at the David Weir Leisure Centre, and our volunteer Pam (lady with pink hair in the picture) took Viv straight to A&E.

Pam was reunited with Viv recently, at another session at the David Weir Leisure Centre, where Viv had brought several of her friends. Both Pam and Viv are delighted to report that following last year's medical intervention, Viv's blood pressure is now normal. Viv was thankful that our health and wellness check had picked it up, reducing her risk of heart attack. Well done, Pam!

They also do BMI checks and help with getting onto the NHS app if you need some digital support.

See our latest newsletter for the upcoming dates if you would like a Health Navigator check, it could surprise you!