RTÉ
RTÉ’s Operation Transformation announces Free Blood Pressure Testing Week
RTÉ’s Operation Transformation is delighted to announce free blood pressure screening in pharmacies nationwide this week. For the third year, the Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU) has come on board to offer this service free of charge.
Almost 750 pharmacies are taking part and will provide blood pressure measurement services and healthcare advice to patients from Thursday 26 January to Thursday 2 February. All participating pharmacies will be identified by an Operation Transformation poster in their outlet and a full list is available at www.rte.ie/ot
Speaking about Operation Transformation’s Free Blood Pressure Testing week, Dr. Ciara Kelly said:“Everyone should take up this offer of a free Blood Pressure check. A high BP is a serious risk factor for heart attack and stroke. It is mostly symptomless so you could be walking around with high blood pressure and not even know! Blood pressure can be easily treated if it is elevated so it’s not something to be afraid of – but it’s really important to have it checked. I think everyone should get down to their local participating pharmacy and get their BP sorted today.”
RTÉ Operation Transformation Free Blood Pressure Testing Week coincides with a focus on heart attack on Operation Transformation next week as part of our ‘Live longer, Live Better’ campaign.
President of the IPU, Pharmacist Daragh Connolly said, “As the most accessible part of the healthcare system, pharmacists are delighted once again to partner withOperation Transformation to promote a healthy lifestyle and encourage members of the public to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Blood pressure is an important indicator and simple monitoring can play a key role in identifying serious healthcare issues. With the focus on strokes and heart attacks on the show this week, I encourage everyone to visit their nearest participating pharmacy over the next week to talk to their pharmacist and have their blood pressure checked.”
The tenth series of RTÉ Operation Transformation is sponsored by Safefood.
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Date: Thursday 26 January 2017
For further information please contact:
Sarah Neville, RTÉ Television Press and Publicity Officer, 01 208 2872 / 087 9800561 sarah.neville@rte.ie
Notes to editor:
RTÉ Operation Transformation Free Blood Pressure Testing Week runs from Thursday 26 January to Thursday 2 January 2017. A full list of participating outlets is available at: www.rte.ie/ot