Blood Pressure Monitor Loan Scheme
Summary
Members of the public are now able to borrow a blood pressure monitor for free using their library card from any of the 21 Hubs and Libraries across Cardiff.
High blood pressure is very common, especially in older adults. One in three adults in the UK has high blood pressure but many don’t realise it. If untreated, high blood pressure over a period of time can lead to a number of health problems including stroke, heart disease, kidney disease, vascular dementia and diabetes.
The scheme aims to make people aware of their blood pressure and encourage them, where required, to make positive lifestyle changes such as such as getting active, keeping to a healthy weight, eating healthily, stopping smoking or taking medication to avoid negative health outcomes.
Each loan of a blood pressure monitor is accompanied with an information booklet that provides details on the following:
• What blood pressure is and why it is so important
• The causes of high blood pressure
• What the blood pressure reading means
• How to measure your own blood pressure
• Dos and don’ts when taking a reading
• What to do with the blood pressure readings
• Information and signposting about lifestyle changes
• A recordings chart – to monitor their blood pressure readings
• A link to British Heart Foundation ‘RevivR’, 15-minute online CPR training
Information flyers have been produced for health professionals, or anyone who would like to promote the scheme, and are available to download in Arabic, Bengali, Cantonese, English, Farsi, Kurdish Sorani, Mandarin, Somali, Urdu and Welsh: www.cardiffhubs.co.uk/blood-pressure-monitor-community-languages
As of December 2025, 877 monitors have been lent to Cardiff library members.
https://cardiffhubs.co.uk/wellbeing/blood-pressure/
Key facts
Both younger and older people (i.e. intergenerational)
Health
Meet their basic needs
- Healthy behaviours (e.g. physical activity)
- Inequities
- Technologies
Age-friendly practice in detail (click to expand):
Engaging the wider community
Local authorities
- Social or health care provider
The scheme is a partnership project between Cardiff Council and Cardiff and Vale University Health Board’s Local Public Health Team. The booklet and processes of the scheme have been subject to input from the Primary, Community and Intermediate Care (PCIC) Clinical Board and the Bro Taf Local Medical Committee. The chosen model of blood pressure monitor has been validated by the British and Irish Hypertension Society.
The accompanying information booklet was tested for readability by a group of 9 year old school children.
Older people were not directly involved
Moving forward
No
Yes
Feedback is one of the next steps for this project. Whilst an evaluation form was developed at the beginning of the project, very few people have completed it. A sticker has been created with a QR code that will be placed onto the monitors. Paper copies of the evaluation have also been created and some work will take place internally to support Library staff to actively encourage customers to complete a form when the monitor is returned. Whilst we know that the scheme is extremely popular and the chances are high that it is helping people and leading to lifestyle changes/medical interventions – capturing more information on the schemes impact will improve the chances of future funding and also for the scheme to spread to other health boards across Wales and further afield.
Age Friendly Cardiff secured funding from Cardiff and Vale Local Public Health Team to spread the scheme to the Vale of Glamorgan. Monitors were purchased and materials have been modified to cover both the Cardiff and Vale regions. The scheme is due to launch there imminently.
Whilst the number of loans has been high and many of the GP clusters within the city have been referring their patients into the scheme, the referral process is currently being formalised. Communication and also physical referral leaflets will go to every GP in Cardiff in early 2026.
Looking back
Working in partnership is always challenging due to conflicting priorities and so the project and elements of it have taken longer than they normally would. The project, however, would not work without partnership work. To address the challenge, meetings were arranged regularly to continue momentum, to ensure that the project was completed.
