When one local resident walked into a Healthy Heart event in Braintree, he expected a routine check. Instead, healthcare staff found he had severe hypertension (very high blood pressure).
He was assessed on the spot at the event and started further treatment the same day. He continues to be supported by his GP to stay well.
This is what care closer to home looks like in practice and it’s already saving lives and making a difference.
Taking healthcare into the community
Braintree PCN has been delivering targeted Healthy Heart events in familiar settings like village halls. These events are designed to capture people who may not regularly visit their GP or who are at higher risk of heart disease.
By bringing services into the community, healthcare teams are making it easier for people to get checked, ask questions and access support in a way that feels comfortable and accessible.
At an event held earlier this year in Silver End Village Hall:
- 35 residents attended, most after receiving a direct invitation
- one person required urgent same-day treatment for severe hypertension (very high blood pressure)
- 11 people were found to have raised blood pressure needing follow-up
- 45% of attendees were smokers, with 21% accepting support to quit
These are people who may otherwise not have been seen until their condition became more serious.
Why this approach works
Holding events locally removes some of the barriers people face when accessing care.
As Lucy Jessup, Physician Associate and Transformation Lead at Braintree PCN, explains:
When we meet people in familiar community settings, conversations feel easier. People have more time to talk, ask questions and understand their health.
Events have been held on Saturdays to make them easier to attend. Patients could speak directly with healthcare professionals, receive tailored advice and, where appropriate, complete an NHS Health Check.
More than a health check
These events go beyond clinical care. Local partners such as Active Essex and community groups like Parkrun were on hand to connect people with practical ways to improve their health.
This means people leave with clear next steps, whether that’s support to stop smoking, opportunities to be more active, or help to manage existing conditions.
Making a real difference
By identifying risks earlier and supporting people to take action, these events have been helping to prevent more serious health problems. They are:
- Catching conditions earlier
- Supporting people to manage their health
- Reducing the likelihood of emergency care
Most importantly, they helped people feel more in control.
What this means for local people
This is part of a wider shift in how the NHS is working focusing more on prevention, earlier support and care delivered closer to home. In Braintree, that shift is already happening.
Healthcare is becoming:
- Easier to access
- More personalised
- More connected to local communities
Looking ahead
Braintree PCN is continuing to build on this approach, working with partners to reach more people and support better heart health across the community.
Lucy continues:
These events are valuable as they offer time for one-to-one conversations. Patients can speak with a healthcare assistant, nurse or advanced nurse practitioner about cardiovascular risk factors and receive tailored support. Eligible patients are also able to have an NHS Health Check during the event.
These events are helping people feel more in control of their health. We can have more personal conversations, offer tailored support and connect people with local partners in convenient, accessible local venues.
We’re looking forward to continuing these community events and working with our local partners. Our aim is to help more people take positive steps towards better heart health.
Background information
This approach focuses on helping people stay well. It aligns with the NHS 10-Year Health Plan, launched in 2025, that aims to reinvent how healthcare can meet people’s needs of the future. It focuses on three key shifts:
- From hospital to community – providing care closer to home in the community
- From analogue to digital – using technology to modernise healthcare, improve efficiency and personalise care
- From treatment to prevention – helping people to stay healthy by spotting problems early and offering support before health issues become serious
Primary Care Networks (PCNs) are groups of GP practices that work together with other healthcare staff and organisations including social care and voluntary services to provide more joined-up care. They play a key role in delivering practical, accessible support to patients and communities in support of the NHS’s Health Plan.
Community outreach in action
Braintree PCN has been taking a proactive approach to support its growing population of more than 59,000 patients across five practices. Recent work focuses on the heart health of patients who are at risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) or who are not managing already-diagnosed conditions such as hypertension (high blood pressure) or high cholesterol.
Three of its Healthy Heart events last year were funded by the local NHS Cardiovascular Disease Community Outreach Grants Scheme. The scheme enabled 17 PCNs to deliver 29 community health events during 2025, making it easier for residents to access NHS services and check their heart health.
All of Braintree PCN’s Healthy Heart events have been held on a Saturday to help reach people who may struggle to attend appointments during the working week. It also gives them an opportunity to check their health in a more informal setting. Events have been invite-only for patients who may not routinely speak to healthcare services or who may have unmanaged cardiovascular risk factors. These factors are conditions or habits that can increase their risk of developing a serious illness.