Cumberland Council has secured a share of a £317k fund to provide free heart health checks to workers.

The successful joint bid, which was announced on August 30, was made in partnership with Westmorland and Furness Council as part of a pilot scheme.

Cllr Lisa Brown, Deputy Leader of Cumberland Council, said: “I’m absolutely thrilled that we have been successful in our bid to be part of this pilot project.

"Improving health and wellbeing is at the heart of our ambitions at Cumberland Council. We also want to take a preventative approach to tackling any health issues faced by our residents."

The council, in collaboration with Cumbria Health, plans to conduct around 4,500 tests by the end of March 2025.

She added that these assessments can be executed digitally or in person, aiming to identify any latent heart problems.

Ms Brown also encouraged employers interested in offering the checks to get in touch with the council.

Cooperation with Cumbria Health is ongoing to establish the screening initiative and gradually introduce it to workplaces across Cumberland.

Susan Blakemore, chief executive officer of Cumbria Health, said: “Cumbria Health is excited to announce a joint venture with Cumberland, and Westmorland and Furness councils to offer health checks in the workplace across Cumbria, specifically targeting men between 40 to 70 years of age.

"Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death of men worldwide and early detection to identify early markers for preventable diseases will empower men to take action to improve their health independently.

"As a leader in Primary Care services across Cumbria, we're aware of the importance of NHS Health Checks and recognise how beneficial it will be to increase uptake of these vital checks in our County."

Enquiries about the scheme should be sent to healthchecks@cumbriahealth.nhs.uk.