England’s NHS is preparing to launch seven-minute cholesterol checks at around 100 high-street pharmacies this autumn, in a move designed to make cardiovascular screening quicker and easier for eligible patients. The programme is part of a wider effort to reduce deaths from heart disease and stroke over the next decade by improving early detection of risk factors such as high cholesterol and high blood pressure.
Who can use the service
According to NHS England, the checks will be available to people aged 40 to 84 who are not pregnant and have not had a blood test in the past year. Patients will be able to walk into participating pharmacies for a pin-prick test that analyses their cholesterol profile in just seven minutes. Eligible people will also be offered a blood pressure check during a clinical consultation with a pharmacist prescriber.
The NHS said patients will receive a copy of their results by email, along with lifestyle advice and, where needed, guidance on whether treatment should be considered. The pilot is scheduled to run until spring 2027.
Why the NHS is expanding pharmacy-based screening
NHS England said the move follows a successful smaller pilot in north London, where 2,493 patients were tested at 61 community pharmacies between January 2025 and March 2026. In that pilot, 19% were found to be suitable for pharmacological intervention and 88 people started statins. Officials said the results support wider use of community pharmacies as a first line of defence against serious illness.
David Webb, chief pharmaceutical officer for England, said the aim is to make cholesterol checks more convenient and to help spot serious risk earlier. Dr Rani Khatib, NHS England’s National Specialty Advisor for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention, said people should know their numbers, including cholesterol and blood pressure, and that the initiative will help manage risk factors earlier.
Part of a broader shift in NHS care
The pharmacy checks follow a series of NHS initiatives aimed at bringing more care closer to where people live. NHS England said this programme builds on community pharmacy services already being used for other forms of care, and it is aligned with the 10 Year Health Plan to move more services out of GP surgeries and into local settings.
Health Minister Alison McGovern said the scheme reflects the kind of innovation the NHS wants to see, while Chris Laing, CEO of UCLPartners, said the north London evidence showed one in five people tested were at high risk of heart attack or stroke over the next 10 years. The new rollout is intended to extend those benefits to more communities across England.
For patients, the practical appeal is clear: a fast test, a nearby location and immediate advice. For the health service, the hope is that catching elevated cholesterol earlier will lead to fewer heart attacks and strokes, and lower pressure on overstretched services in the years ahead.
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