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Check out your heart age
online
PUBLIC Health Liverpool is urging
people to find out the age of their loved one's heart, using the new heart age
tool launched by the Public Health England – My Heart Age.
February is Heart Month and, in partnership with Public Health England, the
British Heart Foundation, and NHS Choices, Liverpool City Council's public
health team want to raise awareness of heart disease; one of the leading causes
of premature death in the City.
Almost 19,000 adults over 40 in Liverpool have been diagnosed with heart
disease, representing around 1 in 12 people, although in some parts of the City it is as high as one 1 in 10.
It is estimated that almost a third of people living with heart disease are not
known to their GP and more than 4 in 5 people with heart disease in the City have at least one other long term condition, such as high blood pressure,
diabetes or depression.
Using the new tool, people can find out the age of their heart by inputting
simple lifestyle information such as their weight and whether they smoke and see
how this compares to their actual age. They can then take action to improve
their health.
The personalised results, give an opportunity for people to take action to
reduce their risk of developing serious, but preventable conditions such as heart
disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, kidney disease and certain types of dementia.
In more than 90% of cases the risk of first heart attack is linked to
potentially modifiable risk factors including smoking, poor diet, high
cholesterol, high blood pressure, low physical activity, overweight / obese,
diabetes, psycho-social stress and excess alcohol consumption.
Around a quarter of adults in Liverpool are regular smokers, only a
⅓ of
people take part in regular moderate physical activity and only 40% eat the
recommended 5-a-day fruit and vegetables.
Dr Sandra Davies, Liverpool's Director of Public Health, said:- "We know
that too many people are dying prematurely from preventable conditions and there
is clear evidence that factors like smoking and high blood pressure play a major
role in this.
The heart age tool shows that it is never too late to make healthy lifestyle
changes, giving people a chance to see the direct impact these changes can have
on their heart's health. It is really important that people aged between
40 and 74 take up the free five-year health check at their GP when it is offered
to them. It is a really important way of identifying diseases or conditions and
can reduce the risk of developing some of the most disabling – but preventable –
illnesses."
Simon Gillespie, Chief Executive of the British Heart Foundation, said:-
"Knowing your risk of developing heart and circulatory disease is crucial to
taking control of your health. Armed with this knowledge you can start to make
lifestyle changes to help protect yourself against heart attacks and strokes.
February is Heart Month, so the perfect opportunity to use our new Heart Age
Tool, so why not give it a go and start planning the lifestyle changes that will
protect your heart?"
The new heart age tool is on the NHS Health Check website which provides
information about what happens at the NHS Health Check, when and how to get one,
and how to lower your risk. Visit:-
NHS.UK/MyHeartAge to calculate your
heart's age.
The NHS Health Check is your chance to get a free midlife MOT. If you're aged
40-74 and don't have a pre-existing health condition you will invited for your
check by your GP surgery. For more information speak to your surgery or visit:-
NHS.UK/HealthCheck.
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Work to start on
preserving 'bombed out' church
WORK on protecting St
Luke's, the bombed out church in Liverpool City centre, is set to
start shortly.
A detailed survey carried out last year estimated the cost of urgent
repairs needed to preserve the Grade II listed building at £500,000
and recommended that work be carried out in 3 phases.
The 1st phase would involve repairs to crumbling stonework on the
higher levels of the building which is currently being held in place
by metal supports. A roof is also to be installed over the South
Tower vestry, to prevent water prevention.
The cost of this phase is £150,000, which is intended to be funded
through an English Heritage grant of £74,591 with the remainder to
be met out of the City Council's 'Building at Risk' budget. The
cabinet is being asked to approve acceptance of the grant at its
meeting, on 20 February 2015.
Work on this phase is expected to start in April/May and be
completed by the end of the year.
Future phases will include restoration work on the Tower, low level
stonework and the boundary railings to the garden.
Public consultation is to start shortly to assess what are the most
appropriate future ways to use the church, which is currently used
for community and arts projects.
Councillor Malcolm Kennedy, cabinet member for regeneration said:-
"St Luke's is a much loved building which Liverpool people
have shown they want to be protected and made accessible to the
public. We will be asking for their views on what they think is
appropriate for its future use.
However, it is in desperate need of extensive and urgent repairs.
Its stonework has vegetation growing out of it and there is a real
danger of it cracking and falling. We have now identified what needs
to be done to ensure it has a future and, with the very welcome
support of English Heritage, we can start the necessary work to make
it safe.
Not only are we preserving a cherished building but by investing in
our heritage we will reduce our maintenance costs in the future, Up
to now we have been carrying out ad–hoc repairs, but patching up is
not the answer; we need a long term solution which will preserve St
Luke's and allow it to be used for appropriate type of events."
Charles Smith, Principal Heritage at Risk Adviser for English
Heritage in the North West said:- "We are delighted to be
helping Liverpool City Council fund the first phase of much needed
repairs to St Luke's Church. As part of our partnership work with
the Council, we plan to support the completion of all necessary
consolidation works over the next few years, so that this prominent
grade II listed building, which is so loved by the people of
Liverpool, can continue to serve an important role within the life
of the City." Click on
here
to see related news report. |
