Around 100 NHS pharmacies in England will begin offering life-saving cholesterol check-ups this autumn, as part of an NHS drive to reduce heart disease and stroke deaths by a quarter over the next decade.

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 into participating pharmacies for the quick pin-prick test.

The test will analyse a person’s cholesterol profile in just seven minutes, with a pharmacist prescriber then able to provide lifestyle advice and determine whether any treatment is needed. Patients will receive a copy of their results by email.

Eligible people will also be offered a blood pressure check as part of a clinical consultation with a pharmacist prescriber.

The NHS pilot will run until spring 2027.

The national rollout follows a successful smaller pilot in north London, run by Barts Health NHS Trust in collaboration with UCLPartners and HEART UK.

It tested 2,493 patients at 61 community pharmacies between January 2025 and March 2026, with 19 per cent found to be suitable for pharmacological intervention and 88 people started on statins.

David Webb, chief pharmaceutical officer for England, said: “Your local pharmacy can be a vital first line of defence against serious illness.

“By making it easier for people to get a quick and convenient cholesterol health check on their local high street, we can spot ticking time bombs earlier, helping people take action, and prevent heart attacks and strokes before they happen.

“This is the latest in a series of initiatives involving pharmacies in delivering care previously only offered in GP surgeries as part of the 10 Year Health Plan to bring care closer to where people live.”

Health Minister, Alison McGovern said: “This programme is exactly the type of innovation we want to see across the NHS.

“By making it possible to get a cholesterol check in just seven minutes at a local pharmacy, we’re making it easier for people to spot potential problems earlier and take action to protect their health.

“Early detection can help prevent serious conditions such as heart attacks and strokes, helping people stay healthier for longer while reducing pressure on NHS services.”

Dr Rani Khatib, NHS England’s National Specialty Advisor for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention, said: “Everyone should strive to be aware of the most common risk factors including high cholesterol and blood pressure and ‘know their numbers’. This initiative will help people manage their risk factors earlier and reduce their risk of having heart attacks or strokes.”

Dr Sotiris Antoniou, Divisional Director for Clinical Services at Barts Health NHS Trust and clinical lead for the initiative, said: “This national programme builds on our experience of developing a robust, quality-assured model for point-of-care testing in community pharmacy.

“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. This has the potential to improve outcomes and reduce health inequalities, particularly in communities where the burden of cardiovascular disease is greatest.”

Chris Laing, CEO, UCLPartners, said: “We’re committed to helping proven innovations reach and benefit more patients so it’s great to see this initiative go from north London to pharmacies across England.

“Our evidence showed that one in five people tested in north London were found to be at high risk of heart attack or stroke over the next 10 years. By detecting risk earlier, pharmacies were able to offer lifestyle advice or refer people to a GP for treatment sooner – benefits that can now be replicated for people across England.”