Asda has today announced it will stock a new home heart test that can provide the NHS with test results for cardiovascular disease (CVD) within minutes.
The test was developed by PocDoc, a leading digital health diagnostics company, and provides patients with a full cholesterol profile, body mass index score, heart age, and 10-year risk of having a heart attack or stroke.
Asda is the first UK supermarket to stock the test in its stores and the health check kits are now available from £9.95 in 242 of its pharmacies.
The partnership comes at a critical time as cardiovascular disease remains one of the leading health challenges in the UK, costing the NHS £7.4 billion annually.
By offering an easy at-home testing solution, PocDoc and Asda are hoping to address the need for accessible and preventative health care, helping to reduce the burden on healthcare services.
Earlier this year the test became the first of its kind to be integrated with the NHS Health Check app, allowing patients to able to carry out tests at home and share results with the NHS in around nine minutes.
The NHS say that each digital health check could save 20 minutes of doctors’ time, which would free up thousands of GP appointments.
Faisal Tuddy (head of pharmacy), at Asda Pharmacy, said: “The launch of PocDoc in our pharmacies is part of our wider commitment to support local communities to improve their long-term health. ¹Research shows that cardiovascular disease is the single largest killer globally, so we felt it was important to play our part in making these tests more accessible to patients.
“We hope that by launching these tests in our pharmacies we can encourage more patients to take the necessary steps to improve their long-term health and prevent, or delay, disease.”
PocDoc said the kit has proven to be successful in reaching ‘at risk’ groups, such as over 40s, people who are overweight and those who find it difficult to access GP appointments.
Steve Roest, CEO and co-founder of PocDoc, said: “Partnering with Asda is about more than just expanding our reach—it’s about making heart health checks as easy as picking up groceries. We believe everyone should have the tools to manage their health, and launching in Asda brings us one step closer to that goal.”
“Working with Asda means bringing heart health into the places where people already go about their daily lives. We are committed to making healthcare accessible, and launching in Asda is a step towards making health checks as routine as your weekly shop.”
