Barts Health and UCLPartners launch cholesterol PoCT in community pharmacies

Community pharmacy is taking a major step forward in clinical service development with the launch of a new cholesterol Point of Care Testing (PoCT) initiative, led and funded by Barts Health in collaboration with UCLPartners, and supported by a wide range of stakeholders including North East London and North Central London ICB’s, Abbot, HealthTab, NEL Local Pharmaceutical Committee and Heart UK. 

This service, free at the point of use, complements opportunistic blood pressure checks and supports independent prescribers, while empowering patients to view their results directly via the NHS App. Results are colour-coded (RAG rated) with a full lipid breakdown and an integrated QRISK score, ensuring alignment with NICE guidance for lipid-lowering therapy and cardiovascular prevention. 

The programme first launched in Newham shows your cholesterol and estimates your risk of cardiovascular risk over the next 10 years. 

To provide confidence to both the public and potential commissioners, the group carried out a detailed quality assurance review. The chosen analyser (affinion 2) has been externally certified by the CDC’s Cholesterol Reference Method Laboratory Network (CRMLN), confirming that the testing system meets gold-standard performance against the Abell-Kendall reference method. This level of certification is critical for pharmacy-based PoCT, as accurate results underpin safe clinical decisions and strengthen the reputation of pharmacies as trusted providers of frontline testing. 

In addition, the programme incorporates external Quality Assurance (EQA) , ensuring results remain consistent, reliable, and comparable to central laboratory standards. This dual focus on accuracy and quality gives patients and commissioners the confidence to adopt pharmacy-based PoCT at scale. 

As part of the initiative, pharmacists are remunerated for their time, with test kits provided. An economic evaluation is also being undertaken to demonstrate value for the wider health system. 

A short film about the service has also been uploaded to the NHS 10-Year Plan website (NHS England — London » Sickness to prevention) 

This pioneering initiative is set to transform how community pharmacy contributes to CVD prevention, making care more accessible, proactive, and patient-centred. 

Sotiris Antoniou, Clinical Lead for PoCT in Cardiovascular Disease Prevention said “Early detection saves lives and reduces pressure on our healthcare system. By working collaboratively, we can tackle cardiovascular disease at pace and scale. Our ambition is to make prevention the norm, not the exception.” 

The service also connects people to support for healthier living, including advice on diet, exercise, and quitting smoking.  

Jagjot Kaur Chahal, cardiovascular disease prevention lead pharmacist, said: “This quick test helps people find out if they’re at risk before something serious happens. Pharmacies are a convenient, trusted place to get checked and take control of your heart health.”  

This is part of a wider approach at Barts Heart Centre, where clinicians are leading a bold shift from just treating disease to preventing it — helping people stay well and out of hospital.  Prevention improves patient health and eases pressure on the NHS by reducing hospital admissions and costs.  

Come and visit us at the Abbott stand – J33 – to learn more.