The government announced its new National Cancer Plan on February 4, which introduces new clinical services offered by community pharmacies.
The plan will launch new “heartburn tests” that give pharmacists the ability to “identify people with concerning signs”.
Pharmacies will then be able to offer referrals, deliver catch-up HPV vaccines, and promote a wider use of weight loss jabs.
“Community pharmacies are vital in the neighbourhood health service and will help our approach reach into people’s local high streets,” it said.
The services
In “spring 2026”, the “heartburn health checking service” will be piloted in a selection of community pharmacies.
It will test for “early oesophageal cancer and the pre-cancerous condition, Barrett’s Oesophagus” by using the “capsule sponge” test.
This will enable pharmacists to refer patients onto “secondary care for further investigation”.
Pharmacies will also be able to “identify risk” using loyalty card data from the “most regular purchasers of heartburn medicines” and provide help and further information.
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The government has also committed to “rolling out ‘catch up’ HPV vaccination models in community pharmacy for young people who missed out on vaccination at school.”
The moves are part of the government’s “commitment to eliminate cervical cancer by 2040” and “protect against six other rarer cancers that are also linked to HPV”.
The plan also highlights the government’s commitment to “end the obesity epidemic” by “accelerating GLP-1 medicine uptake”.
Read more: Pharmacies to deliver HPV catch-up jabs from next year
“Pharmacies are already treating patients experiencing heartburn symptoms, so we welcome this pilot,” said Dr Nick Thayer, head of policy at the Company Chemists Association
“However, any services of this kind will need to be appropriately funded as part of a wider package to close the funding gap which we hope the forthcoming CPCF negotiations will do”.
In reference to the uptake of GLP-1s, he said community pharmacies have a “proven track record” of delivering “preventative healthcare interventions at scale, both remotely and through the network of pharmacies in communities across the country.
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“Building on the expertise developed through private services, community pharmacies would be well placed to deliver wraparound weight loss care, to increase access where needed.”
Expertise
Health secretary Wes Streeting, said “millions of people are relying on us to do better and nothing short of radical change will do - moving away from the incrementalism of the past and instead pursuing an audacious goal to save 320,000 more lives by 2035.
“To get there, we are drawing on the expertise and experience of patients, partners and professionals, harnessing the power of science and technology, and modernising the NHS to make sure medical discoveries reach patients faster.”
HPV catch-up vaccinations in pharmacies were rolled out at the beginning of the year.
Reforms to cancer healthcare services were mentioned to be a part of the NHS 10 Year Health Plan, with the government hoping that “over 10 years, this plan will propel us from a long-standing laggard to a genuine global leader in cancer.”
