A preventative health initiative delivered by SISU Health and Cambridgeshire and Peterborough councils has been recognised at the HSJ Digital Awards 2026, highlighting how accessible health checks can help identify hidden cardiovascular risk factors and support earlier intervention.
The Health Service Journal awards represent the highest standard of recognition in UK healthcare, platforming the most impactful and influential work across the NHS.
SISU Health was nominated in the Driving Prevention and Early Intervention Through Digital category which emphasises the importance of identifying health risks early and relieving pressure on local health services, while supporting local communities.
Removing barriers to early cardiovascular risk detection
Roughly 10% of people living in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough suffer from cardiovascular disease; however, there is an identifiable barrier to getting a diagnosis. Many residents – specifically those in manual or shift-based work – weren’t engaging with local NHS Health Checks or traditional services.
Limited flexibility, time constraints and logistical barriers meant many workers were unable to visit their local GP or access health services, leaving potential health risks unidentified.
The impact of meeting people where they are
Cambridgeshire County Council, in partnership with Healthy You, launched 55 self-service stations across local workplaces and NHS sites. The self-service stations offered quick, 4-minute health checks that eliminated obstacles to access.
Over 15,000 self-service health checks were completed over six months:
- Around 64% of participants hadn’t had their blood pressure checked in the previous year
- Over 67% were flagged as overweight or obese
- Over 2,000 participants had multiple cardiovascular risk factors
- Around 1 in 5 participants triggered a GP call-to-action for high blood pressure, allowing for early intervention
This award reflects the broader need to make early intervention easy and accessible. Reaching underserved communities where they are helps reduce barriers to access, leading to healthier populations and reduced strain on the NHS and local services.
Learn how Cambridge Central Mosque supported earlier detection and preventative health in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.
Delighted to be shortlisted as a finalist at the HSJ Digital Awards at ICC in Birmingham. I felt genuinely humbled that our project was to be shortlisted amongst such esteemed organisations and colleagues at the event… This reinforces the value of this approach in improving access to health checks and supporting prevention at scale.
Paul Stokes, Public Health Principal – Healthy Ageing and CVD Prevention
We are proud to be nominated for such an important award and to be recognised alongside so many other outstanding finalists.
A big thank you to the HSJ Awards judges and organisers for this fantastic opportunity.
Bring preventative health closer to your community
If you’re looking to improve access to preventative health services and reach people who may not engage with traditional healthcare pathways, SISU Health can help bring accessible health checks directly into communities, workplaces and trusted local settings.
Our self-service health stations help identify hidden risks earlier, reduce barriers to access and generate population health insights that support healthier communities.
Transform prevention and early detection in your community
Work with us to deliver accessible, data-driven health solutions that reach underserved groups and support public health goals.
