NHSE today (July 9) revealed that “dozens” of pharmacies in England will offer new “heartburn health checks” to test for Barrett’s oesophagus, which can be a precursor to oesophageal cancer.
Under a two-year pilot in partnership with Boots and gastrointestinal diagnostics company Cyted Health, people with “persistent heartburn or acid reflux will be offered an innovative ‘sponge on a string’ test in high-street pharmacies for the first time”, it said.
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The test, which can be “delivered by a health professional in under 10 minutes”, involves patients swallowing a small pill on a thread that expands into a “penny-sized sponge” on reaching the stomach, it added.
After a few minutes, the sponge is “safely pulled out to collect cells from the lining of the oesophagus” to be tested for pre-cancerous changes in the lab, according to NHSE.
“If pre-cancerous cells are found, treatment can be offered to remove the cells through endoscopy or a procedure known as radiofrequency ablation,” it added.
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From early next year, “around 1,500 people” in London and the East Midlands will be offered the “quick and easy” test on-site in a Boots pharmacy or be referred to a community-based clinic in their area, NHSE said.
An independent evaluation of the pilot will “inform decisions about any future rollout”, it added.
Pharmacists to “spot patients”
NHSE said that pharmacists will “help spot patients who are regularly using over-the-counter (OTC) medications to ease their heartburn or reflux symptoms but haven’t come forward to their GP”.
A “locally led public health awareness campaign” on the potential signs and symptoms of oesophageal cancer will also accompany the pilot to “encourage more people to come forward”, it added.
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One of seven backed by a £15 million investment to improve early cancer detection, the pilot aims to help prevent oesophageal cancer by spotting early changes in the lining of the oesophagus that otherwise may have been missed, NHSE said.
The test is currently used in hospitals and community diagnostic centres to “reduce the need for invasive endoscopies and free up appointments” but the pilot will assess whether people could “get tested while they shop” to make care “more convenient”, it added.
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Minister for public health and prevention Ashley Dalton said that the announcement is “a fantastic example of the lifesaving potential of healthcare on your high street”.
“With more than 8,000 people diagnosed with late-stage oesophageal cancer each year, being able to spot the warning signs using a 10-minute test in a local pharmacy—before cancer has even taken hold—will be a game-changer,” she added.
The government last week revealed that it will roll out new “neighbourhood health centres” open evenings and weekends and staffed by teams including pharmacists as part of a move towards community care under its new 10-year plan for the NHS.
