1.13 billion people worldwide have hypertension: upwards of 1 in 4 men and 1 in 5 women – World Health Organisation (WHO)

–

World Hypertension Day is a day in which people come together to raise awareness about hypertension & high blood pressure and the impacts the condition can have on the body.

“High blood pressure, or hypertension, occurs when your blood pressure increases to unhealthy levels. Your blood pressure measurement takes into account how much blood is passing through your blood vessels and the amount of resistance the blood meets while the heart is pumping.” – Healthline

–

–

Hypertension & the Access Card

Here at The Access Card, we support many cardholders to help them discreetly communicate the barriers they might face when out and about or visiting shows, events or tourist destinations and have provided some more information about some of the typical access requirements we have processed.

Everyone is different and experiences their needs in different ways, but here are some examples based on our experience.

–

–

Standing & Queuing

Whether you have difficulty with physically being in a queue for a significant period of time, difficulty with the concept of queuing, or have difficulty with being in a queue/ crowded spaces, the ‘Standing & Queuing’ symbol can be added to your Access Card to help communicate this access requirement. 

Different providers have their own ways of accommodating this access requirement.

For example, Thorpe Park accepts Access Cards with the ‘Standing & Queuing’ symbol as proof for a Ride Access Pass.

–

What is a Ride Access Pass?

“A Ride Access Pass is a virtual queuing system designed to make reasonable adjustments to assist guests who do not understand the concept of queuing, have a physical disability that prevents them standing for extended periods of time or permanently non-ambulant guests.”

–

–

Access to Toilets

If you require urgent access to the toilet because of your health condition, e.g. Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) or incontinence, we have the ‘WC’ symbol. This symbol discreetly communicates this access requirement with different providers.

Urgent access to the toilet is a different access requirement to a general need to use an accessible toilet and therefore the ‘WC’ symbol cannot be awarded for the latter. If you would like more information about this, please speak to a member of our team.

–

–

Distances

For people who would have significant difficulty with walking/ self-propelling a wheelchair for more than a short distance, we have the ‘distances’ symbol to communicate this access requirement with different providers. 

Different providers have their own ways of accommodating this access requirement.

For example, Greenbelt Festival offers taxi-buggies from the Box Office down to the Festival Village entrance. In addition, there is a closer and more accessible camp located close to the Festival Village entrance.

–

–

–

Essential Companions

For those that require a substantial amount of support from another person when out & about, we have the ‘+1’ symbol which indicates to providers that you would need a substantial amount of support to be able to access their facilities.

Different providers have different systems in place to facilitate this access requirement.

For example, Legoland Windsor Resort accepts Access Cards with the ‘+1’ symbol as proof for a free essential companion ticket.

–

–

–

Accessing Visual Information

If you have difficulty with accessing/understanding visual information, for example, written information or signage, the Access Card has a symbol to help communicate this access requirement.

Different providers have different systems in place to facilitate this access requirement.

For example, Warwick Castle offers a braille booklet of information for the Great Hall and State Rooms. For more information, please contact the venue.

–

–

–

Thinking of applying for a Card?

If you think the above would be useful for you and would like to apply for your Access Card you can do so quickly and easily by completing our short online application form and uploading some supporting information confirming your needs.

All applications received from people with Hypertension during World Hypertension Day 2021 (17th May 2021) can use the discount code ‘hypertensionday21’ to get £5 off a three-year Access Card.

–

–

Further Sources of Information, Advice, and Support

Check out our full directory for how these symbols apply at over 1,000 venues in the UK and beyond.

–

–

The British and Irish Hypertension Society

–

“The British and Irish Hypertension Society is the forum for professionals working in the field of hypertension and cardiovascular disease in the UK and Ireland.  The Society comprises doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers specialising in the delivery of care in hypertension and allied fields, together with clinicians and scientists in the forefront of cardiovascular research.”

The British and Irish Hypertension Society

–

Tel: +44 (0) 131 336 4203

Web: https://bihsoc.org/

Email: bihs@in-conference.org.uk

–

–

Blood Pressure UK

–

“We are the only UK charity dedicated to lowering the nation’s blood pressure to prevent stroke and heart disease.”

Blood Pressure UK

–

Tel: 020 7882 6255

Web: www.bloodpressureuk.org/

Email: help@bloodpressureuk.org

–