COVENTRIANS can have a free health check to assess their risk of developing type two diabetes in a mobile testing van.
The van will be available on Tuesday, July, 23 between 9am and 2pm at the Arena Shopping Park on Phoenix Way, Rowley’s Green.
It is a walk-in service and no appointment is necessary – offering a simple conversation, blood tests, blood pressure checks, BMI checks and lipid testing.
Type two diabetes is often linked to being overweight, inactive, or having a family history of type two diabetes, and the health implications can be serious.
It is the leading cause of preventable sight loss in people of working age, as well as a major contributor to kidney disease, loss of limbs, increased risk of heart disease and stroke.
Peter Shorrick, head of Midlands and East at Diabetes UK said: “If you have symptoms of diabetes, i.e. weeing a lot, especially at night, being really thirsty, feeling more tired than usual, losing weight without trying to – and getting thinner, genital itching or thrush, cuts and wounds taking longer to heal, blurred eyesight, please come and visit the mobile test site at the Tesco Extra, next to CBS Arena, Coventry on 23rd July.
“We will also be giving out information to support self-management, and signposting people to key local support services including local prevention programmes and Talking Therapies Services in supporting people’s mental health.”
Dr Jim McMorran, Coventry GP said: “Having type two diabetes puts patients at higher risk of complications such as kidney and heart disease. It’s important that everyone gets an opportunity to get assessed to check their risk; this is why I’d strongly encourage people to come to our mobile testing site for a free health check.
“Those diagnosed on the day will be provided with the useful resources available to support them.
“We have programmes such as the Type 2 Diabetes Remission (T2DR) Programme which offers a non-medication intervention to help patients, so please do come along to find out more information.”
