Shamina Asif spearheaded the Healthy Living Optician scheme across Dudley and has now introduced the innovative free service to Beacon Opticians Plus.
Healthy Living Opticians offer advice and support to help improve your health and wellbeing – all within the comfort of visiting your opticians. The scheme is supported and backed by the NHS with the aim of improving access to general health and wellbeing advice and guidance.
Shamina explains: “We all knowhow hard it can be to sometimes get an appointment at your local surgery – this is often one of the many reasons why people don’t go for health checks. With our modern and busy lifestyles, it is now more important than ever to make sure we get a health MOT every so often. Healthy Living Opticians go through a list of important health checks which include, blood pressure, cholesterol, BMI, glucose and lots more. We will also talk over your general health and listen if you have concerns such as diabetes and alcohol consumption.”
But it’s not just about highlighting concerns and looking for warning signs, the service also offers advice and can inform your GP if you need further support.
“Once we have gone over your health check we can understand if you are in danger of long-term conditions such as diabetes, we can then give you advice on prevention and how-to improve your lifestyle. But if there are more serious concerns, we can contact your GP so they can then take further medical action.”
Shamina also points out how the service can support those looking for tips to help point them in the right direction and improve their overall health.
“Often we notice people coming in with high cholesterol. After checking them we provide information on how to reduce this through nutritional advice. We can also signpost and inform you of further support – followed with a confidential and open discussion about your wilder health.
“Like your local GP I also build relations with my patients. This bond helps many people open up about their personal health and tell me about their concerns. These relationships are built over time, but we apply this attitude to all our new patients and treat everyone with respect and dignity.”
Beacon Healthy Living Opticians is free and is supported by the NHS with trained staff. You must be aged between 40 to 74 years old and is available every five years.
To book your Healthy Living appointment at Beacon Opticians Plus in the Beacon Centre, call 01902 886 794 or email optom1@beaconvision.org