AAH continues support for Know Your Numbers Week

AAH pharmaceuticals has continued its support of Know Your Numbers! Week for 2011 with its ongoing partnership with the Blood Pressure Association (BPA).

As part of the company’s All About Health programme, members running the AAH blood pressure service will transform their pharmacies into ‘pressure stations’ in conjunction with the BPA.

And, with a staggering 16 million people in the UK living with high blood pressure, the company says that pharmacy can play a pivotal role in administering screening and advice.

Bespoke Know Your Numbers packs will be issued to members providing the All About Healthcare blood pressure service and a bespoke ‘pressure station finder’ will be featured and promoted on the home page of allabouthealth.org.uk.

The joint campaign has once again been supported by a widespread marketing push, designed to urge people to their nearest independent pharmacy, including a digital drive with Daybreak; courting an audience in excess of one million.

Ajit Malhi, head of marketing services for AAH, believes that the partnership supports pharmacy customers that carry out screening services and affords the patient greater choice and control of their healthcare provision.

He said: “It’s crucial, in the face of a commissioning backdrop that will become more reliant on demonstrating evidence of success, that as a pharmacy wholesaler we continue to offer independent pharmacies the tools that they need to deliver services to the people on their doorstep.”

Know Your Numbers Week runs from September 12 / 18 and the campaign draws further support in the BPA’s ‘Positive Pressure’ magazine and AAH’s ‘All About Health’ magazine.

“Untreated high blood pressure can cause heart disease and strokes along with kidney problems and even dementia. This awareness week offers more than 250,000 free blood pressure checks each year and pharmacy is ideally placed to support this,” Malhi added.
Mark Hooley of the Blood Pressure Association said: “Going to your doctor for a blood pressure check can result in what’s known as ‘white coat hypertension’ – where your blood pressure artificially increases because of your surroundings. Going into your local pharmacy for a check can be more convenient and less intimidating.”