Cholesterol testing pilot

As part of the wider Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Programme, HI NENC is delivering a new pilot programme trialling a new, innovative cholesterol test, PocDoc. The pilot commenced in April 2023.

Aim

To identify people at risk of heart attacks and strokes using a new, innovative cholesterol test. This allows testing for lipids testing to move out of GP surgeries, dramatically increasing access to testing which in turn aims to prevent more people from developing Cardiovascular Disease.

Delivery across the North East and North Cumbria

The North East pilot will focus on increasing access to cholesterol testing outside of a traditional GP surgery environment, including at-home, on the high street, workplaces and in other community settings.

High risk patients in deprived communities and those who are less engaged with GP services across the region will also be a key priority during the pilot.

Benefits

• This pilot offers an opportunity to ease pressure on GPs, keep people out of hospital and increase healthy life expectancy, through easier, accessible and more cost-effective access to cholesterol testing.
• It is also hoped that this pilot will deliver cost savings by moving testing from outside of GP surgeries. A health economic evaluation to explore this in detail will be completed as part of this pilot.
• PocDoc will help to provide more accessible testing, removing barriers for those who are less engaged with GP services across the region. Research has shown that one of the challenges of engagement in long term management programmes for people in deprived communities is the need for testing of cholesterol frequently requiring multiple attendances at a healthcare setting. Further, there is evidence that those living in the most deprived areas of England are four times more likely to die early from CVD compared to those living in the least deprived areas. Further

What is PocDoc?

The test, which involves a finger prick blood test, a lateral flow device and an app, gives immediate results indicating whether the person has high cholesterol. It speeds up the diagnosis process meaning patients can receive treatment faster.

Testing with PocDoc is a five-step process which involves: downloading the PocDoc app and filling out a health questionnaire; pricking your finger and dropping your sample onto the lateral flow test; allowing the test to develop for seven minutes; taking a photo of your test using your phone and the app; and then receiving results immediately via the app alongside a personalised health assessment.

Watch the video below to see the PocDoc test in action, as Steve Roest, CEO of PocDoc, speaks to Dr Xand from the BBC Morning Show and invites him into the PocDoc lab.

The pilot programme is being funded by the Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) for Healthcare, the System Transformation Fund (STF) and Innovation for Healthcare Inequalities Programme (InHIP).