Nearly 30% of adults in Scotland suffer from high blood pressure also known as hypertension. Often it has no symptoms and those with the condition feel perfectly well. However, If not treated it can lead to a stroke, heart failure, dementia and kidney failure. Using a simple and convenient system, this new care model empowers patients to self-monitor their blood pressure at home. Not only will it give people more control over their condition, overall it will reduce demand on the NHS.

Self-Monitoring and Real-Time Patient Information

The new care plan will see people checking their own blood pressure at home for an agreed period of time, they will then text their readings to the digital health system. If their results are out with the pre-agreed parameters set by their health care provider, they will be advised on what action to take.

This solution will also benefit the clinicians, who will be able to view real-time information about their patients at any time and reduce the amount of time they spend on blood pressure monitoring. Access to this patient data will assist GPs in making better evidence-based treatment decisions.

New Approach Inline with Digital Health Care Strategy

This new approach builds on earlier and ongoing work completed through the Technology Enabled Care Programme and will further inform new models of care which support enhanced self-monitoring. It is part of an overall commitment to Scotland’s new Digital Health Care Strategy to scale up work on remote monitoring of long-term conditions.

The British Heart Foundation (BHF) Scotland, NHS 24’s Scottish Centre for Telehealth and Telecare, and the Scottish Government’s Technology Enabled Care Programme are working together in NHS Lanarkshire, NHS Lothian and NHS Western Isles to put this system into practice.

Developing New Models of Care

The BHF funding is part of an overall £1.5 million package across the UK over the next three years, developing models of care which will aim to;

• Increase the detection of people who have undiagnosed high blood pressure
• Increase accessibility to blood pressure testing in the community
• Increase support for patient self-management and self-testing to become routine practice

The BHF is currently funding around £6m worth of research into high blood pressure in Scotland, studying the causes and treatment of the condition.

Richard Forsyth, Health Service Engagement Lead at BHF Scotland, said:

“High blood pressure is a very common condition that can have devastating consequences. But it can usually be easily treated with medication and lifestyle changes, such as reducing salt intake, maintaining a healthy weight and being more physically active.”

“That’s why we want to make sure more people understand their blood pressure, what the readings mean and how best to manage the condition. The evidence from this project will be used to support the spread and adoption of this model across Scotland.”

Professor Brian McKinstry, Professor of eHealth at The University of Edinburgh and Clinical Lead for the project, said:

“The evidence that supervised telemonitoring improves outcomes in the management of high blood pressure is conclusive. Our research now focuses on the best way to implement these findings into routine practice so that people become more involved in managing their own blood pressure and, critically, in a way that does not increase the workload for frontline staff.”

“This programme working across Scotland and in collaboration with the BHF will further support our national work.”