NHS bring in free seven-minute tests in 100 England high street pharmacies to find 'ticking time bombs'

The NHS test takes just seven minutes to complete11:29, 31 Aug 2026Around 100 NHS pharmacies will soon be offering seven-minute cholesterol checks in a bid to help reduce the number of heart disease and stroke deaths in England.‌NHS bosses have said the checks, which will be available at local high-street pharmacies, will help to identify "ticking time bombs earlier" and will help in the prevention of heart attacks and strokes. The initiatives comes as part of an NHS drive to reduce heart disease and stroke deaths by a quarter over the next decade.‌The test will be available to anyone aged 40 to 84, who is not pregnant and has not had a blood test in the past year. Eligible patients can walk into a participating pharmacy for the quick pin-prick test, which will analyse their cholesterol pr