Key Summary
- NHS will pilot a heartburn health checking service in a sample of community pharmacies from Spring 2026.
- Young people, who missed out on the HPV vaccination at school, will have it administered in pharmacies.
- Pharmacies will be able to refer patients who meet certain criteria directly into secondary care for further investigation.
Pharmacy organisations have welcomed the NHS National Cancer Plan, which outlines an expanded role for community pharmacies in cancer diagnosis.
The report says the community pharmacies will offer "first-line tests to people who have symptoms which could indicate cancer," and the NHS will work with them to partner on new heartburn tests.
"From spring 2026, we will pilot a heartburn health checking service in a sample of community pharmacies – using the capsule sponge: a simple, non-endoscopic test for early oesophageal cancer and the precancerous condition, Barrett’s Oesophagus.
"Participating pharmacies will be able to refer patients who meet certain criteria directly into secondary care for further investigation. They also have the means to identify riskproactively - for example, through loyalty card data on the most regular purchasers of heartburn medicines - and provide targeted information."
The community pharmacy will also be involved in the government's drive to increase the HPV vaccine coverage.
Young people who missed out on the HPV vaccination at school will have it administered at their local pharmacy.
Company Chemists’ Association (CCA) head of Policy Dr Nick Thayer said: “Pharmacies are well placed to administer the HPV vaccine and help the NHS meet its goal of eliminating cervical cancer by 2040.
"Pharmacies are already trusted to deliver many NHS vaccines – including the flu, covid, RSV and MMR vaccines.
"With more pharmacies in more deprived areas, pharmacies can help drive uptake, especially amongst underserved communities.
"Commissioning pharmacies to deliver more NHS vaccines makes sense for patients and NHS, and would release GP capacity and drive vaccine uptake. Any newly commissioned vaccination programmes would require additional investment on top of wider efforts to close the funding gap.
"Through the work of the Pharmacy Vaccination Development Group, hosted by the CCA, we have been working with manufacturers, suppliers, commissioners and regulators to unlock the potential of community pharmacy to help more people receive the vaccinations they need to stay healthy.”
Regarding the heartburn health checking service pilot from April 2026, Dr Thayer said, “Pharmacies are already treating patients experiencing heartburn symptoms, so we welcome this pilot.
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.”
National Pharmacy Association chief executive Henry Gregg said, "Pharmacies are a massive untapped resource to help detect serious illnesses such as cancer early on, which we know greatly improves survival rates for many cancers.
"It is good news, therefore, that the government wants to make greater use of the convenience and accessibility of community pharmacies, which see 1.6 million patients a day, to spot early symptoms of cancer and refer patients to specialists if needed.
"With the right support, pharmacies are able to help prevent a whole range of serious illnesses as well as improve the management of long-term conditions."
