5,000+ Health Checks in Supermarkets and Community Spaces: How Norfolk County Council Tackled Health Inequalities

The challenge – Reaching those most at risk

Norfolk’s public health team highlighted cardiovascular disease (CVD) as a leading local health challenge, with obesity, smoking and hypertension driving poor outcomes.

Traditional services struggled to reach younger working-age residents, those in deprived areas and people who rarely visited their GP.

The council needed a solution that could reduce inequality, engage underserved communities and surface health risks earlier – without increasing demand on already stretched clinical teams.

Accessibility and engagement were the biggest barriers. People needed opportunities for health checks in everyday places, outside of GP surgeries and working hours.

 

Suzanne Wilkin, Health & Wellbeing Commissioner

The solution – Meeting people where they are

To remove barriers, SISU Health partnered with Norfolk County Council to place medical-grade Health Stations in Tesco and Asda supermarkets, and at the Royal Norfolk Show.

These locations offered visibility, high footfall and long opening hours – ideal for shift workers, younger people and residents less likely to book GP appointments.

Accessible, private and simple to use, the stations provided instant readings on blood pressure, BMI, smoking status and more, with personalised health insights and signposting to local services.

When we moved the stations into prominent supermarket foyers, engagement doubled almost overnight.

Results – Earlier action, wider reach

Within six months, the programme demonstrated how prevention at scale can drive measurable impact. By embedding health checks in everyday spaces, Norfolk engaged younger cohorts, reached deprived communities and created new entry points into NHS Health Checks.

Highlights include:

• 5,003 health checks delivered across 3 sites (Feb-Aug 2025)
• 1,426 GP call-to-actions triggered for hypertension or obesity
• 46.5% of users came from the most deprived areas (IMD 1-3)
• 9.7% repeat users, with early improvements in lifestyle risk factors
• Median participant age: 36, bringing prevention to younger cohorts
• One-third of checks completed outside traditional GP hours

The stations uncovered significant CVD risk factors in a younger, working-age population (median age 36), with many participants having had little prior engagement with preventive checks. The fact that nearly half of users came from the most deprived neighbourhoods underlines the role of community-based delivery in addressing health inequalities.

Strategic value – Embedding prevention in everyday settings

The Norfolk programme directly supported the county’s NHS Health Check improvement plan by expanding access beyond GP surgeries and traditional hours. So far, the stations have successfully reached groups that standard health checks were missing – aligning closely with NHS Core20PLUS5 priorities.

The real-time data generated gave Norfolk actionable insight into local health needs, helping the council design targeted campaigns and allocate resources more effectively. Each of the 1,426 GP call-to-actions represents not only an individual health intervention but also a step towards reducing long-term costs from preventable conditions like CVD.

By proving that prevention can work in supermarkets, community venues and events, Norfolk has demonstrated a scalable model that tackles inequalities while easing pressure on frontline services.

SISU Health’s stations have given us data-driven insight and a scalable way to reach residents in everyday places. It’s been a genuine partnership.

Key takeaways

• Scalable reach: 5,000+ checks delivered in supermarkets and community venues
• Actionable insights: Over 1,400 GP calls-to-action triggered in just 6 months
• Accessible care: Evening and weekend use broadened access beyond GP hours
• Strategic value: Aligned with Norfolk’s public health goals to tackle inequalities
• Health equity impact: Strong engagement in IMD 1–3 and among younger adults

Norfolk’s experience demonstrates how embedding health checks in supermarkets, community spaces and events can reach hard-to-engage populations, identify risks earlier and support public health goals. By taking prevention into everyday settings, the council created a scalable, data-driven approach that improves outcomes and reduces long-term healthcare demand.

See how prevention can reach communities effectively

If you’re looking to embed preventative health services in your community, SISU Health Stations can help. They provide instant health insights, reach people who might not otherwise engage and support data-driven planning.

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