This week, we welcomed representatives from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government to Barnsley to learn more about our award-winning How’s Thi Ticker initiative.

Organised by our Public Health team, the visit centred on the innovative, evidence-based approach we’ve taken to bring free blood pressure checks to our communities.

Our esteemed guests got to peek behind the scenes at how we developed our How’s Thi Ticker initiative, helping more people across Barnsley find out their numbers for the first time.

This includes how we used data to reach the right people and how we made sure everything we did was built around our communities, from the campaign’s name to the places we visit.

Since its launch in June 2022, our How’s Thi Ticker team has delivered more than 8,000 free blood pressure checks all over Barnsley, from local businesses to barber shops.

The team now plays a vital role in engaging with our residents and improving people’s lives, offering health advice and connecting them with the right support to tackle issues earlier.

Representatives from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government also got to visit the ground-breaking Community Diagnostic Centre in the Glass Works. Bringing vital NHS health checks and screenings to the heart of our town centre, the visit was a great opportunity to showcase how we’re doing things differently in Barnsley to bring health to the heart of our communities.

Anna Hartley, Executive Director for Public Health and Communities, said: “We want everyone in Barnsley to be able to enjoy life in good physical and mental health, getting the right support at the right time and place to tackle problems early.

“We were beyond delighted to be able to welcome the Tokyo Metropolitan Government to Barnsley this week to show how we’re doing things differently to improve the health of our communities. Our award-winning How’s Thi Ticker initiative has been an amazing local success, and being able to show our esteemed guests how we did it was something we’re very proud of.

“We hope that we can continue to use our insights and ideas to inspire more impactful, community-led health initiatives wherever How’s Thi Ticker takes us next.”

Getting a blood pressure check is quick, easy and could save your life. For most people, high blood pressure won’t come with any symptoms, which is why getting checked is so important.

Our team is regularly out and about across Barnsley, running sessions where you can get your blood pressure checked for free and advice on looking after your heart. Find out where the team will be popping up next by visiting our Healthy Barnsley Facebook page.

We also run dedicated sessions for local businesses, offering free workplace heart health checks covering blood pressure, cholesterol and more. Employers interested in taking part in this scheme can get in touch with the team by emailing HowsThiTicker@barnsley.gov.uk.