Community heart screening event identifies hidden cardiovascular disease in Bexhill
More than 400 local residents received potentially life-saving heart health checks at the BEAT-Heart Failure (Breathlessness, Exhaustion, Ankle swelling, Time to tell your GP surgery) community screening event held at The Pelham in Bexhill on 16 June 2026.
The event was supported by the Pumping Marvellous Foundation, the UK's national heart failure charity, with organisations across Sussex, including East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust, University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust, Bexhill Primary Care Network (PCN), Health Innovation Kent Surrey Sussex, and NHS Surrey and Sussex Integrated Care Board.
The screening event brought cardiovascular health checks directly into the community, helping identify people who may be living with undiagnosed or unmanaged heart and circulatory conditions and enabling them to access appropriate follow-up care.
A total of 405 local residents were screened. Of these, 194 people recorded raised blood pressure readings—almost half of all those who attended. Significantly, 133 of these individuals were not recorded as taking blood pressure medication, highlighting an important opportunity for earlier intervention to reduce the risk of future cardiovascular disease.
Dr Suneeta Kochhar, Clinical Lead for Cardiovascular Prevention and local GP supporting the event, highlights:
Up to a third of people in the UK may be unaware that they have raised blood pressure, this is because most people do not have any symptoms. This means that the only way to detect this is by having a blood pressure check.
The event also identified nine previously undiagnosed cases of atrial fibrillation (AF), a heart rhythm condition that increases the risk of stroke if left untreated. In addition, five attendees recorded raised NT-proBNP levels by having a fingerprick blood test on the day, this is an indicator of possible heart strain or failure requiring further clinical assessment.
Dr Suneeta Kochhar said,
The results demonstrate the value of taking screening into local communities, helping to identify hidden cardiovascular risk factors, support earlier diagnosis, and connect people with the care they need before conditions become more serious.