Community pharmacies are set to play a greater role in cardiovascular disease prevention through a new NHS pilot offering rapid cholesterol testing alongside blood pressure checks. From autumn 2026, around 100 pharmacies in England will offer eligible adults aged 40 to 84 a seven-minute, finger-prick cholesterol test. The test will produce an immediate cholesterol profile, a pharmacist prescriber will assess the result and provide personalised advice and determine whether treatment or further referral is required. Alongside this, the test also estimates the patient’s risk of heart problems over the next 10 years. So, what does this mean for the pharmacy sector and its role in cardiovascular prevention?

To ensure efficacy, results must flow efficiently between community pharmacy, general practice and secondary care. Local pathways should define how findings are recorded, when patients are referred to their GP and which cases require specialist input. These could include suspected familial hypercholesterolaemia or the role of multiple long-term conditions. Timely access to shared records will be essential to prevent fragmented treatment.

Clinical decisions must also consider the patient’s overall cardiovascular risk rather than an isolated cholesterol result. For pharmacy professionals, the opportunity lies in connecting these services. A cholesterol result or elevated blood pressure reading should trigger a clearly defined pathway covering cardiovascular risk assessment, shared decision-making, treatment, referral and follow-up. Teams will need appropriate training and equipment, alongside robust procedures for documenting and communicating results.

Rapid results introduce important governance considerations. Pharmacy teams need appropriate training, standardised operating procedures and processes for quality assurance. There must be clear responsibility for the delegation of testing. Although the responsible pharmacist has overall accountability for the hypertension service, they do not have to conduct every check personally. Therefore, there is an opportunity for trained Pharmacy Technicians and other multidisciplinary team members to support, ensuring a focus on clinical interpretation and prescribing through collaborative working.

David Webb, Chief Pharmaceutical Officer for England, supports the initiative and explains how this an excellent example of the role of pharmacy in delivering care closer to home as part of the shift towards prevention embedded in the 10-Year Health Plan. He explains that “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 initiative provides a practical route towards delivering the ambitions of the new Cardiovascular Disease Modern Service Framework. The framework prioritises finding the “missing millions” living with undiagnosed or inadequately managed risk factors, including high blood pressure and cholesterol. The strategy is part of the wider NHS drive to reduce heart disease and stroke deaths by a quarter over the next decade. By bringing case-finding into accessible neighbourhood settings, community pharmacy can help identify people earlier. The framework also makes clear that detection must be followed by treatment optimisation, adherence support and coordinated long-term management.

For delegates across community, primary and secondary care at Clinical Pharmacy Congress, these developments demonstrate the need for shared pathways, interoperable records and strong cross-sector relationships. The real measure of success will not be how many checks are completed, but how many patients receive timely intervention and achieve a meaningful reduction in cardiovascular risk.