The NHS in England is to offer free finger-prick blood tests for cholesterol on the high street for the first time under plans to reduce heart disease and stroke deaths by a quarter within the next decade. The seven-minute tests will be available at participating pharmacies as part of a national rollout to spot “ticking timebombs” earlier. People aged 40 to 84 who are not pregnant and have not had a blood test in the past year will be eligible to walk in and get tested.
Blood will be taken from a person’s fingertip using a lancet – a small, sharp medical tool used to prick the skin – and analysed immediately. A pharmacist prescriber can then provide lifestyle advice and determine whether any treatment, such as statins, may be needed. Patients will receive a copy of their results by email.
They will also be offered a blood pressure check as part of a clinical consultation with a pharmacist prescriber. Details of the scheme – the first of its kind globally – were announced during the European Society of Cardiology’s annual congress in Munich, the world’s largest heart conference. David Webb, the chief pharmaceutical officer for England, said pharmacies could be a vital first line of defence against serious illness.
He said: “By making it easier for people to get a quick and convenient cholesterol health check on their local high street, we can spot ticking timebombs earlier, helping people take action, and prevent heart attacks and strokes before they happen. Nearly one in five patients (19%) were found to be at high risk of a heart attack or stroke within the next decade. These people were offered advice and referred for treatment.
At least 88 people started taking statins as result. In the first phase of the national rollout, about 100 NHS pharmacies across England will begin offering the checks from this autumn. Dr Sotiris Antoniou, the clinical lead for the scheme at Barts Health, said: “By scaling this approach across England, we can support pharmacists to identify cardiovascular risk earlier and, importantly, act on the results through timely advice and treatment.
Alison McGovern, a health minister, said it was “exactly the type of innovation” she wanted to see across the NHS.
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