CLARE Libraries are willing to join a working group to examine the introduction of a blood pressure monitor lending scheme across the county.
The proposal was put forward by Cllr Rachel Hartigan (FF) at the September full meeting of Clare County Council, calling for validated home blood pressure monitors to be made available for members of the public to borrow through the county’s library network.
Cllr Hartigan’s motion called for the feasibility of initially introducing the scheme on a pilot basis through the main library in each Municipal District.
She also proposed that the working group consult with relevant healthcare professionals and organisations on the scheme, with a view to expanding it across the county’s library network if the pilot proved successful.
In a written response, Director of Service for Tourism, Recreation, Libraries and Cultural Services Siobhán McNulty said Clare Libraries were “happy to join a dedicated working group” to examine and progress the introduction of a blood pressure monitor lending scheme.
The scheme could operate alongside the Healthy Ireland at Your Library programme, which Clare Libraries already participate in to provide health information to communities.
Ms McNulty said the programme had enhanced health and wellbeing book collections, both digital and hardcopy, as well as providing staff training, events and promotion.
Clare Library staff have also consulted with colleagues in Mayo Libraries, which has already piloted a blood pressure monitor lending scheme in partnership with Croí.
Ms McNulty said consultation with relevant healthcare professionals and organisations would be essential to provide guidance on the safe use of the monitors.
Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Hartigan thanked Ms McNulty and the library service for their response and said she was pleased they were willing to join the proposed working group.
She said she had been in contact with a college in Mayo where a similar scheme operates and had also met with a local authority in the UK running a comparable initiative.
Cllr Hartigan said she had learned more about how monitors could be loaned, how guidance could be provided and how safety could be managed.
“There is an upfront cost to the scheme,” she said, but added that Clare already had “a fabulous library network” which could be utilised.
“Blood pressure is a silent killer,” Cllr Hartigan said, arguing that a lending scheme could help create greater awareness and encourage earlier intervention.
She also raised concerns about members of the public purchasing blood pressure monitors from online retailers without guidance.
Cllr Hartigan said she had concerns that an unreliable reading could cause anxiety for someone whose blood pressure was normal, while a normal reading could potentially give false reassurance to someone with an underlying health issue.
She said she believed the scheme should initially begin with one library in each Municipal District.
Cllr Clare Colleran Molloy (FF), who seconded the motion, described it as a “super idea”. “We have the template to work with,” she said, referring to the existing scheme in Mayo.
Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
