Barber shops become front line in fight against 'silent killer' hypertension
London South Bank University (LSBU) is taking blood pressure checks out of the clinic and into the barber's chair, in a community health project that has already reached men across South London who are among the least likely to know they have high blood pressure.
Millions of adults in the UK live with high blood pressure, and around half are unaware of it. Left undiagnosed, the condition can quietly lead to heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease or dementia.
Nikki Thomas, kidney nurse and professor of Kidney Care at LSBU, has been leading the project since it began in three South London barber shops. "We wanted to find a way to reach those who are most at risk and least likely to be diagnosed," she explains.
"I've always believed that health care should meet people where they live, work, and socialise. That small everyday spaces can open the door to life-saving conversations."
From the chair to the check-up
Working in partnership with the Croydon BME Forum, the project has trained barbers across Croydon and Mitcham to offer free, on-the-spot blood pressure checks while customers wait for their regular trim.
Professor Thomas says barbers are ideally placed to start these conversations: "These barbers, trusted confidants in the community, are uniquely placed to reach Black and Asian men who often face higher risks from high blood pressure but lower rates of diagnosis."
The approach draws on a similar scheme in Los Angeles, where barber shops became the setting for a landmark hypertension study. "The project was inspired by a groundbreaking program in Los Angeles barber shops where 68% of customers diagnosed with high blood pressure ended the study with healthy levels," says Professor Thomas. "That model proved what we believed: community care works."
Building on success
With new funding secured, the LSBU team is now expanding both the reach and the depth of the project. "This phase of the project doesn't just identify high blood pressure — it follows up," Professor Thomas explains. Men found to need support are referred for further checks and health advice through the Croydon BME Forum's wellness centre and local pharmacies, allowing the team to track long-term changes in blood pressure and behaviour.
The project has also broadened beyond barber shops. "We've now extended the project to provide more training to barbers and are working in partnership with Blood Pressure UK to drive awareness and training to other community organisations such as faith groups," says Professor Thomas.
She describes the initiative as part of a wider institutional mission. "This project is part of a bigger commitment at LSBU to tackle inequality through practical community research."
More than a haircut
By locating health checks in familiar neighbourhood spaces, the project aims to demonstrate how universities can work directly with communities to improve long-term health outcomes, build the capacity of local leaders, and make early detection genuinely accessible.
"For the men who walk into these barber shops and other community spaces, it's more than a haircut — it's a chance to protect their futures," says Professor Thomas. "And for us, it's a model of what health care can be when trust, culture and science come together."