Record-breaking response to heart screenings

A potentially life-saving heart screening service is believed to have been booked out in record time.

CRY — Cardiac Risk in the Young — offer free painless heart screenings for anyone aged between 14 and 35, picking up conditions that may not have any noticeable symptoms. The check only takes between five and ten minutes.

Kirkwall is set to host two days of screenings in May, and the organisers, Orkney Heart Screening say they are delighted by the response after the booking system went live on Friday.

Writing on their Facebook page, OHS said: “We’d just like to say how much it means to us to get such a rapid response from everyone.

“To get booked out so quickly just shows that our message is being heard loud and clear within the community.

“It also shows that we need to keep campaigning to the government for this to become a free and mandatory service to all young people in Britain.”

The group added that anyone who would like to be added to the waiting list, should contact them through their Facebook page here and urged anyone unable to attend their appointment, to either inform them or CRY so the space can be filled.