Your NHS journey

Who’s who?

Meet the team whose help will be on offer:

1. The GP

   Your GP is likely to be your first port of call. If your high blood pressure is straightforward, he or she or she will probably take responsibility for your treatment.

2. The practice nurse

   Practice nurses are nurses based in a GP’s surgery. If you have regular check-ups at the surgery, it may well be the practice nurse rather than the doctor, who takes your blood pressure and reports any changes or needs to your GP.

3. The pharmacist

   If you need to take medication for your blood pressure, your pharmacist can explain how you should take it. The pharmacist will also check that your medicines (and any herbal remedies you may be taking) will not mix badly with each other.

4. The hospital specialist

   If your blood pressure is very high (180/110mmHg or above) or is more complicated to treat than usual, your GP may refer you to a high blood pressure specialist, who is highly skilled at looking after people with high blood pressure. You will see the hypertension specialist as an outpatient at hospital.

5. The dietician

   Your GP may decide to refer you to a dietician for advice on how to eat more healthily and how to lose weight if you need to.

6. NHS Direct

   This is a 24-hour helpline which gives you access to confidential healthcare advice and information, provided by a nurse. You can contact NHS Direct on 0845 4647. If you prefer you can find information on health conditions and your local NHS services online at NHS Choices.