NHS England said that identifying cases earlier, encouraging lifestyle changes and medication to protect against heart disease, could save thousands of lives.

Prof Duncan Selbie, PHE chief executive, said health officials hoped to work with major retailers to bring the checks to the high street.

“High blood pressure is the invisible killer. We want people to be as familiar with their blood pressure numbers as they are with their credit card PIN or their height.”

“We want to get people talking about their blood pressure – at supermarkets – Asda, Tesco, making it normal to have your number on your till receipts. You could do it [check] at the till, with technology it’s so easy,” he added.

Workplaces would also be encouraged to introduce checks, he said, given that healthier workers were more productive.

“Sixty per cent of your waking hours are spent in the workplace, it’s a fantastic place to do this stuff,” he said.   Patients’ groups were sceptical, particularly about the idea of asking other professions to take on clinical tasks.

Joyce Robins, from Patient Concern, said: “Firefighters should stick to fighting fires and leave the routine medical checks to doctors and nurses. People won’t want firemen quizzing them on their health and taking their blood pressure while extinguishing a fire or testing their smoke alarm.”

And the Royal College of GPs said “blanket health checks” could divert resources from those in most need, and lead to over-diagnosis.

Nansi Ellis, assistant general secretary, National Education Union, said: “While this is an important issue, teachers couldn’t possibly carry out health checks at parents evenings or school gates.

“Whoever came up with this suggestion clearly has no idea of the current pressure teachers and school staff are placed under. They are trained to teach children and young people – not substitute for  healthcare professionals.”

Everyone aged between 40 and 74 is supposed to be offered an NHS Health Check, every five years.  But just half of patients take up the offer, health officials said.

Sir Bruce will say that closer working between the NHS, local authorities, workplaces and schools is crucial to cut deaths from heart attacks and strokes – who between them are responsible for quarter of premature deaths.    “Cardiovascular disease kills more people in this country than anything else,” the former heart surgeon will say. “We know how to treat the resulting heart attacks and stroke, but everyone knows that prevention is better than cure.

“Prevention of these devastating consequences is everybody’s business from our schools, to the food and tobacco industries, to local authorities and the NHS.”

Simon Gillespie, chief executive at the British Heart Foundation (BHF), said: “Early detection and management of medical risk factors such as high blood pressure, atrial fibrillation and high cholesterol will ensure patients get the right treatments in sufficient time to prevent heart attacks and strokes.

“The BHF has funded several care programmes which found that joined up local services are cost effective and benefit patients. “It is good news that the NHS recognises this and wants a more integrated approach for patient care.

“This will help to reduce the current variations in care across the country, ultimately preventing heart attacks & strokes, and improving patient outcomes.”