Boots has launched a free diabetes risk assessment service that aims to help people "take control of their health" and manage their chances of developing the condition.

The service, launched in partnership with charity Diabetes UK yesterday (January 22) involves Boots pharmacists offering customers a questionnaire to assess their likelihood of developing type two diabetes.

Patients will answer seven questions on risk factors including age, gender, waist circumference and ethnic background and will be referred to their GP if the pharmacist considers them to be at risk.

"If it results in patients being able to address diabetes and lead a healthier lifestyle, that has to be positive" Tricia Kennerley, Boots	More on Boots PDA attacks Boots for locum contract changes Alliance Boots Nottingham site to get £25m       development Being a Boots Macmillan pharmacist
	The service formed part of the health and beauty giant's strategy to support patients with long-term conditions, said Boots healthcare public affairs director Tricia Kennerley. "It's important to continue to raise awareness of diabetes and help patients take corrective measures," she told C+D in an exclusive interview.

"Patients can come in and have a private consultation with the pharmacist and they'll take them through [the risk factors] and, with that information, we can then determine relatively easily what level of risk a patient has," she added.

Ms Kennerley could not reveal the cost of Boots providing the service, but confirmed that it would be free to all Boots customers. The risk assessment is an extension of the free diabetes information service launched seven months ago, which prompted C+D readers to question whether community pharmacy could continue providing services free of charge.

But Ms Kennerley said the "simple risk assessment" could be replicated in independent pharmacies and would help to build trust with patients. "It's a very simple service," she said. "I don't think anyone can criticise that and... if it results in patients being able to address diabetes and lead a healthier lifestyle, that has to be positive."

The diabetes assessment service was a great example of how pharmacy's role could develop in future, Ms Kennerley added, stressing that it was important to raise the profile of pharmacy's abilities.

And she remained optimistic over community pharmacy's chances of securing services in the reformed NHS, set to take shape in April. "I think we have to look for the opportunities in the NHS reforms," Ms Kennerley argued. "There will be a change in the way services are commissioned and we need to understand how that's going to develop."

Diabetes UK chief executive Barbara Young agreed pharmacy's accessibility made it a good choice for services such as diabetes risk assessments. "Sometimes [people] don't want to bother their GP, whereas here you can walk in and get instant risk assessments and advice," she said.

The service will run for the rest of the year across Boots pharmacies. The multiple conducted 1,767 assessments in the 10 days leading up to the official launch.

Diabetes facts and figures

850,000 undiagnosed diabetes patients in the UK

7,000,000 number of people at high risk of developing the condition.

10% proportion of NHS budget spent on diabetes