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Suffolk Community Libraries has partnered with NHS Suffolk and North East Essex to make blood pressure monitors available for people to borrow from our libraries.

High blood pressure is the leading cause of heart attacks and strokes, despite being a preventable condition. Taking blood pressure measurements over a few days, when people are more relaxed in their own homes, can give more accurate results than a test in a clinic where patients may feel more stressed.

The monitors can be borrowed from any of our 45 libraries and our mobile libraries. They can be borrowed for three weeks. There is no charge for loaning the monitors but they will incur late fees at the same rate as adult books and a replacement fee of £27 if lost. You’ll need to reserve them in advance from the library catalogue and then collect them from your local library.

How to borrow a blood pressure monitor

Blood pressure monitors can be reserved from our online catalogue to be collected from your local library. You will need a library card to borrow a monitor – if you don’t have a library card, you can sign up online or at your local library.

Important information

• You must be at least 18 years old to borrow a monitor
• You must have a Suffolk Community Libraries card in good standing with no outstanding fines or history of multiple lost items
• Loan periods are for three weeks* with the option to renew if there are no outstanding reservations
• If you lose the monitor, a replacement fee of £27 will be added to your account
• You will be asked to sign a user agreement before you are able to take the monitor out on loan.

*four weeks if you are registered on the mobile library service.

Testing guidelines

• Avoid eating, exercising or bathing 30 minutes before testing
• Relax in a calm environment for five minutes before testing
• Do not stand while testing – sit in a relaxed position with your arm resting in your lap or on a table in front of you
• Do not talk or move during testing
• Do not test near strong electromagnetic interference such as microwave ovens or mobile phones
• Wait for at least three minutes before repeating a test
• Try to measure your blood pressure at the same time each day – first thing in the morning before you do anything else is best as you are relaxed and the conditions are the same each day. This will provide consistent results which can be compared to establish a trend
• Test comparisons should only be made when readings are made on the same arm, in the same position and at the same time of the day.