Tesco offers pharmacist-run health screenings in U.K.

LONDON Tesco supermarkets is now offering in the U.K. in-store health checkups, according to a report by the Telegraph.

During the consultation, which is available at all Tesco pharmacies, a pharmacist measures weight and offers screenings for blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes. The service is currently being offered for an introductory price of ?10 (US$20) but will increase to ?20 at the end of January, according to the published report.

The appointment takes about 30 minutes and is held in a private consultation area. While an appointment is necessary, a patient can be seen right away if a pharmacist is free.

“As part of the service, our pharmacists can provide healthy lifestyle advice, which might help prevent or delay the onset of certain health conditions,” Philip Banks, Tesco pharmacy services manager, told the Telegraph.

The company stressed that the service is not a replacement for one’s family doctor.