A MAN has praised an Essex Libraries’ blood pressure monitoring scheme which he said saved his life.
52-year-old Lindsay, from Billericay, decided to try one of the monitors installed in various libraries run by Essex County Council to measure his blood pressure.
His readings began to rise after his first visit, and Linsday took a monitor home for about two weeks and travelled with it.
This led to Lindsay contacting his GP to begin more regular monitoring. This saw his heart rate go from 152 beats per minute to readings of over 300.
indsay realised something was “seriously wrong”. He said: “I get check-ups every six months, and blood pressure had never been an issue previously. A stressful year likely contributed.
“After multiple high readings, I called 111. They sent someone to assess me and insisted I go to hospital, where I had tests and scans. They said I was lucky I came in when I did.
“I’m now on blood pressure medication and being monitored to ensure the dosage is right. I’m feeling better and learning to prioritise rest.”
Lindsay’s doctor said if his raised heart rate had not been picked up by the library monitor, a “frightening” likely outcome would have been a stroke or a heart attack.
He has praised Essex Libraries’ scheme and encouraged more people to use it wherever possible. Lindsay added: “Get it checked. It’s free, easy, and could save your life. Particularly for ethnic minority communities, it’s important to get tested.
I’m grateful this scheme exists—it saved my life. I hope it continues and expands to other areas, including Northern Ireland.”
Lindsay shared his story during Heart Month, which takes place every February and is organised by the British Heart Foundation. It raises awareness of heart and circulatory diseases and promotes heart‑healthy lifestyles through education, fundraising and community support.
Between September and the end of January, there were 1,354 loans and renewals of monitors across Essex Libraries. These were across 72 of Essex’s 74 libraries. Brentwood recorded the highest number of loans (135), followed by Chelmsford (95) and Shenfield (78).
Each loan pack includes a monitor, cuff, diary and guidance leaflets. Monitors can be borrowed for up to two weeks, with no booking required. They are available on a first‑come, first‑served basis at all Essex libraries.
In addition to the loan scheme, 15 standalone blood pressure monitors have been installed in libraries across the county. From September to January, these machines were used more than 9,200 times.
Due to the scheme’s success, Essex Libraries plans to roll out additional loanable monitors and standalone machines.
