A community health programme delivered in partnership with Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care Board has been recognised for Best Use of Data at the HTN Now Awards 2025/26.
The award recognises how population health management data was used to tackle one of the region’s most pressing challenges: undiagnosed and unmanaged hypertension, particularly in communities least likely to engage with traditional healthcare pathways.
Closing the hypertension gap through data-led action
In Suffolk and North East Essex, hypertension affects around one in five adults, yet only two-thirds are formally diagnosed, leaving thousands at risk of preventable cardiovascular disease. Reaching the NHS ambition of diagnosing 80% of cases will require new, more accessible approaches to prevention.
Using population health data, the ICB identified communities with higher estimated hypertension prevalence, greater deprivation and lower engagement with routine blood pressure checks. This insight was used to guide the placement of self-service SISU Health Stations in high-footfall, everyday locations such as libraries, community hubs, pharmacies and mobile health buses.
We know a lot of it isn’t people refusing care – it’s people we need to reach in different ways. It’s our responsibility to meet them where they are.
Peter Broughton, Programme Manager, Suffolk and North East Essex ICB
The result was a scalable, community-based screening programme that removed common barriers to care – including time constraints, transport challenges and low engagement with GP services – while empowering people to take control of their health.
Impact at scale
Since launch, the programme has delivered more than 14,000 community health checks, uncovering significant previously unidentified risk:
- Around 1 in 5 participants recorded high blood pressure
- Nearly 60% had not had a blood pressure check in the previous 12 months
- 44% of users came from the most deprived half of neighbourhoods (IMD 1–5)
- Thousands of checks triggered GP call-to-actions for high blood pressure and/or very high BMI
Repeat-user analysis also showed meaningful improvement over time, including a near-30% reduction in high blood pressure among returning participants, highlighting the role of accessible screening and clear signposting in supporting early action.
The SNEE ICB / SISU Health partnership has delivered thousands of health checks for our communities over the past two years and demonstrates what genuine system‑wide collaboration can achieve. We’re proud to see this work recognised and look forward to building on its success.
What set this programme apart
The HTN Now Awards judges recognised not just the volume of data collected, but how it was used – from targeting deployment using population-level insight, through to translating individual results into timely follow-up and system-level learning.
By embedding prevention into everyday settings and focusing on communities most at risk, the programme demonstrated a practical, scalable model for reducing health inequalities and easing long-term pressure on NHS and public health services.
We’re proud to be recognised alongside other outstanding winners and nominees in the HTN Now Awards and are grateful to the judges and organisers for this honour.
A shared achievement
We’d like to thank Suffolk and North East Essex ICB for their continued support and collaboration, and everyone who has engaged with the SISU Health platform so far. The award reflects what can be achieved when data, partnership and accessibility come together.
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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