HEART HEALTH CHECKS

Melbourne, VIC Australia

“I knew I should get my blood pressure checked, but I kept putting it off. This was the push I needed to finally do something about it.”

Carol, 56 · South Yarra

“It wasn't just a health check. It was a conversation with someone who made me feel heard and that my health mattered.”

Anonymous · Melbourne

“My Dad passed away from a heart attack so I've been worried about my heart but just didn't know where to start. Now I understand my risk better and know what to discuss with my doctor.”

David, 38 · Melbourne

“I came for a heart check for myself but left thinking about my whole family. I'm going to encourage my husband and children to get checked too!”

Mehri, 72 · Scoresby

“I've always waited until something was wrong before seeing a doctor. Today made me realise I don't have to wait until I'm sick to look after my health.”

Anonymous · South Melbourne

“For the first time in a long time, I felt like someone genuinely cared about my health. They didn't rush me. They listened.”

Sam · St Kilda

“I can't even remember the last time I saw a doctor. Having someone come into our community and offer to check my health made all the difference.”

Kyle, 43 · Unknown (Unstable Housing)

“I thought I was perfectly healthy. To be honest I only stopped because it was free and I had a few minutes to spare. I never expected a simple heart check to show me just how at risk I was. I will definitely follow up with my GP.”

Sarah, 48 · Footscray

“He [my Father] went to Emergency and now sees a Heart Doctor. It could have saved his life. He is very grateful. Thank you Health in Focus.”

Eva, 34 · Box Hill
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In Australia, cardiac disease is on the rise. In fact, more than 1.4 million Australians are at a high risk of heart attack or stroke in the next 5 years.

We know that an estimated 80% of heart disease is preventable, which is why Health in Focus is determined to promote heart health through accessible screening and education.

Woman in a medical volunteer jacket records information for a man wearing a red beanie at an outdoor health screening station.

What are Heart Health Checks?

Our pop-up clinics provide free heart health checks. During these 10 minute checks, we discuss your:

  • Overall health 

  • Cardiovascular risk factors 

  • Health lifestyle habits

  • Next steps in health management 

  • As necessary, we also take blood pressure, heart rate, BMI and ECG readings.

At the conclusion of your check, you will be provided educational handouts and a summary of your visit. These are a great initial assessment to show to your GP, for further discussion. 

Findings:

So far, our data indicates:

  • 1650+ patients screened at our clinics, with an estimated 3300+ total patient interactions

  • 1 in 5 patients reported they had not seen a doctor in the last 12 months. 1 in 20 patients said it had been over 10 years.

  • 55% were identified as moderate-high risk of Type 2 Diabetes/Heart Disease

  • 47% had a high blood pressure reading on the day. 

  • 3 patients sent to Emergency Department for urgent care.

Through post-clinic feedback we have found that:

  • Patients shared knowledge on improving diet, increasing exercise, and reducing stress with their friends/family

  • Many reported that they prefer the pop-up setting over a conventional clinic due to its free cost, convenience, low intimidation, efficiency, and trust in not-for-profit organisations

  • Overall, patients were very satisfied with the interaction with our volunteers. 

Areas of improvement include:

  • Concerns about privacy, which we aim to address by improving our physical set-up and investing in partitions

  • Requests for more check-ins following the pop-up clinics, which we are currently exploring

Crowded health screening booth at a market, with people waiting beside a table displaying a stethoscope, blood pressure cuff, medical forms, wipes, and water bottles.
Crowded health screening booth at a market, with people waiting beside a table displaying a stethoscope, blood pressure cuff, medical forms, wipes, and water bottles.
People gather at a health-in-focus community health screening tent on a sunny city street.
Community health screening under a pink tent, with staff measuring a man's height and checking participants' blood pressure and weight.
Community health screening under a pink tent, with staff measuring a man's height and checking participants' blood pressure and weight.

Future Plans:

As we refine our pop-up clinic model through feedback and data collection, we hope to extend our current format to include other relevant tests such as random blood sugar test, lipid tests and body composition scan. We aim to prioritise high-need locations in Australia to run our Heart Health Checks. 

Currently 100% volunteer-run · no wages, travel payments or other reimbursements Average clinic month: 4 weeks · 1 Saturday + 1 Sunday clinic each week · 8 clinics per month 15-year long-term projected benefits from that average month
Explore the report Swipe tabs to see the evidence →
HELP KEEP COMMUNITY SCREENING FREE

Support the next month of Heart Health clinics.

Your donation can help cover screening equipment, testing and essential operating costs. Our team currently volunteers its time and travel without wages or reimbursements.

Support our clinics
With thanks to GCG

Thank you to Global Consulting Group (GCG) for preparing the SROI calculations that support this impact report.