NHS body praised for scheme targeting Asian taxi drivers

The Marmot Review on health inequalities in the country, entitled Fair Society, Healthy Lives, has held up the NHS Sheffield screening programme as an example of best practice.

Dr Jeremy Wight, director of public health at NHS Sheffield, said: “I am delighted that this innovative work with a particular community has been recognised.

“Conventional approaches to putting over health promotion messages have often failed in the past to reach men, and South Asian men in particular. That is particularly unfortunate given that they have high levels of heart disease and diabetes.

“So developing new ways to put over the health messages, and help them take control of their own health, is really important. We must now try to extend this kind of approach to other communities.”

The scheme involved NHS Sheffield joining forces with One Medicare to provide a cardiovascular screening programme for South Asian taxi drivers who had been identified as a high risk for heart disease.

A group of drivers agreed to be “health champions” and the initiative was promoted to other taxi drivers, with 142 drivers attending the Sheffield City GP Health Centre for screening.

As part of the health checks the drivers’ height, weight, body mass index (BMI) and blood pressure were also tested.

Those identified as being a high risk were offered appointments to see a doctor.

Permjeet Dhoot, health improvement principal at NHS Sheffield, said: “It is excellent news that this initiative has been recognised as best practice across the country.

“We will be continuing this work with drivers and will also be targeting other ‘at risk’ groups across the city.”

Hafeas Rehman, chairman of the Sheffield Taxi Trade Association, who was screened himself, added: “The initiative is a great idea because it can highlight potential future illnesses before they arise. The drivers were grateful for the chance to be screened and soon realised it was a quick and easy process.

“It helped to target people in the community who are more likely to suffer from heart disease. The initiative has opened the eyes of many in the community.”