Goal of Health Awareness Month is to improve overall health and wellbeing

ACCESSIBLE health checks within communities were at the forefront of Tallaght Health Awareness Month.

Running throughout October, Health Awareness Month boasted a diverse schedule of events and activities for all members of the community – connecting people with services that support wellbeing.

An important aspect of the month-long programme, run by the Fettercairn Health Project, is free health checks, such as blood pressure, body mass index and blood glucose monitoring.

These checks are available throughout the year in many local pharmacies, where staff can also provide health and lifestyle advice or refer people to a local service or their GP.

Community pharmacist Michelle O’Hagan, owner of Pharmacy Hub in Killinarden, was among a number of local pharmacies to take part in Tallaght Health Awareness Month.

“The whole point of health checks is that it’s preventative healthcare,” Michelle told The Echo.

“Checks can detect something that may go unnoticed or a potential health disorder.

“We had referrals [to GPs recently] for high blood pressure, there was no symptoms, they were asymptomatic

. . . checks can pick up these patients.”

Supporting people to be responsible for their own health and wellbeing is another focus of awareness month, with everyone encouraged to learn where they can get information, advice or checks within their community.

“The goal is to prevent long-term illness and part of Health Awareness Month is preventative healthcare and improving overall health and wellbeing,” Michelle said.

“We can see the outcomes of health checks, [people] are looking after their health better.

“We have also detected early heart disease, for example, which helps prevent stroke or long-term complications.”

She added: “There is a great role for pharmacies in the prevention of long-term health risks.

“A pharmacy is a really good resource in any community . . . it’s a health point in the community and accessible.

“There is also so much isolation in the community and people will come for a health check but, start talking about something else.

“We can link them in with another service . . . and we have made some social referrals [during Health Awareness Month].

“A pharmacy is only one aspect [in promoting health and wellbeing], there’s so many good things going on in the community.”

Tallaght Health Awareness

Month runs until this Saturday, October 28.

Among the events finishing off the month is a Signs of Substance Abuse in Teenagers Talk in Tallaght Library on Thursday, October 26, from 6pm to 7pm.

The month will finish up with a Park Run in Tymon/Dodder Valley/ Griffeen/Corkagh on Saturday, October 28, at 9.30am.

The Fettercairn Health Project is part of South Dublin County Partnership.

Follow both on Facebook for updates on health events, activities and supports in your community.

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