NEW HEALTH ASSESSMENTS PROJECT HELPS HEALTHY HEARTS AT HOSPITAL SITE

More than 350 workers on the site of Caerphilly’s new hospital are being offered basic health assessments in a bid to promote healthier hearts.

Starting at the end of January, the health assessments project will be undertaken by Caerphilly Local Public Health Team in partnership with BAM Construct UK, the company responsible for building Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr.

The predominantly male construction and engineering workforce will be able to refer themselves for an appointment at the clinics, which will run two days a week on site, with nurses from the borough’s Healthy Hearts team providing cardiovascular and lifestyle assessments.

Looking at lifestyle factors such as smoking, diet, drinking and exercise and measuring blood pressure, weight, Body Mass Index (BMI) and waist circumference, the health assessments project will identify individuals who may be at risk of long term health related conditions and provide advice on changes that can be made for a healthier lifestyle.

Depending on the results, nurses can refer people to local projects, including smoking cessation groups and gyms, and, in extreme cases, will advise them to visit their GP or Practice Nurse for follow-up. ‘Healthier option’ posters will also be displayed in the canteen and coffee areas.

Gill Richardson, Director of Public Health at Aneurin Bevan Health Board, said: “Health assessments in the workplace are not only one of the most cost effective ways of raising awareness of particular health conditions but it can also ensure that employees most at risk can seek medical attention in plenty of time.

“Given that men are statistically more reluctant than women to seek advice from their doctor, and the workforce at Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr is predominantly male, this project is a great way of making sure they get all the necessary information, guidance and even treatment they need early on. This is important as, in the construction industry, guidelines are in place preventing individuals from driving, operating machinery or working from heights if their blood pressure is too high, for example. It’s a physically demanding job and we need to ensure that workers are not putting themselves at risk.”

A report, which will not identify specific individuals, will be prepared from the data collected during the health assessments project and shared with Aneurin Bevan Health Board and BAM Construct UK.