Private Health Check

Cardiovascular Health Check in Blackburn

Know your cholesterol, heart age & 10-year risk — in under 10 minutes

A complete heart-health MOT in a single visit: a 5-marker cholesterol profile plus blood pressure, weight and a personalised QRISK assessment — giving you your heart age and estimated 10-year risk of a heart attack or stroke, all measured against NHS clinical guidelines. Just a finger-prick of blood, and lab-accurate results while you wait.

5
Cholesterol markers
<10 min
Lab-accurate results
Finger-prick
One drop of blood
Heart age
& 10-year risk

Your heart doesn't warn you first

Cardiovascular disease — heart attacks and strokes — is the UK's single biggest killer, and both high cholesterol and high blood pressure usually have no symptoms at all. For too many people, the first sign is the event itself. A quick check today tells you exactly where you stand, while there's still everything to play for.

This isn't just a cholesterol number. It's a rounded picture of your heart health — the full balance of good and bad cholesterol, your blood pressure, your weight, and a personalised risk score that factors in your age, family history and lifestyle. You'll leave knowing your heart age, your 10-year risk, and precisely what to do about it.

What's included in your cardiovascular check

Far more than a cholesterol reading — it combines lab-accurate bloods with the key risk factors a GP would assess, using clinically validated PocDoc point-of-care technology.

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5-marker cholesterol profile

A full lipid panel from a single finger-prick — see the breakdown below.

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Blood pressure check

The "silent" risk factor — measured on the day and factored into your risk.

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Weight & BMI

A key, modifiable driver of cholesterol, blood pressure and diabetes risk.

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Personalised QRISK score

The same NHS algorithm GPs use — tailored to your age, sex, ethnicity & history.

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Your heart age

All your results distilled into one intuitive number vs your real age.

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Pharmacist review

Results explained against NHS guidelines, a plan agreed, GP referral if needed.

★ Free with weight loss

This check is FREE when you join our weight-loss service

If you're eligible and start our pharmacist-led weight management programme, this full cardiovascular health check is included free as your baseline — so you can see exactly how your heart health improves as you lose weight.

Explore weight management →
For new weight-management patients · once, at induction.

Your 5-marker cholesterol profile — explained

A single "cholesterol number" doesn't tell the whole story. We measure the complete lipid panel — the same markers used in NHS laboratories — so you understand not just how much cholesterol you have, but the crucial balance of good and bad, and what it means for your arteries. Every figure is compared to NHS / NICE targets.

Marker 1

Total Cholesterol

The headline figure — all the cholesterol in your blood combined. A useful overview, but the split between good and bad below matters far more.

NHS guide: 5 mmol/L or below (4 or below if higher-risk)
Marker 2 · the "bad"

LDL / Non-HDL cholesterol

Low-density lipoprotein carries cholesterol into your artery walls, where it builds up as fatty plaque and narrows them (atherosclerosis) — the root cause of most heart attacks and strokes. Lower is better. Non-HDL (everything minus the good cholesterol) is the measure UK guidelines now prefer.

NHS guide: LDL below 3 mmol/L · non-HDL below 4 mmol/L (lower if higher-risk)
Marker 3 · the "good"

HDL cholesterol

High-density lipoprotein does the opposite job — it carries excess cholesterol away from the arteries, back to the liver to be removed. It's protective, so here a higher number is better.

NHS guide: above 1.0 mmol/L (men) · 1.2 mmol/L (women)
Marker 4

Triglycerides

A type of fat carried in the blood, strongly linked to diet, alcohol, excess weight and diabetes. Raised levels add to your cardiovascular risk and can flag an underlying metabolic problem.

NHS guide: below 1.7 mmol/L (fasting)
Marker 5 · the key ratio

Total Cholesterol : HDL ratio

Arguably the single most useful figure — your total cholesterol divided by your good (HDL) cholesterol. It captures the balance of good vs bad better than any number alone, and feeds directly into your cardiovascular risk score.

NHS guide: below 4 is good · above 6 signals higher risk

Combined with your blood pressure, weight and personal history, these markers power your QRISK score, heart age and 10-year risk — every one explained clearly by your pharmacist. Reference ranges are general NHS guidance; your pharmacist will interpret your results in the context of your individual health.

How it works

Heart health in three steps

High cholesterol has no symptoms — the first sign is often the heart attack. A 5-minute check beats finding out that way.

Step 1

1. We measure

A quick finger-prick, a blood pressure reading and your weight — everything captured in one short visit, no fasting or GP wait.

  • Finger-prick — one drop of blood
  • Blood pressure & weight included
  • No appointment needed
Step 2

2. You get answers

Lab-accurate results in under 10 minutes — your full cholesterol profile, heart age and 10-year risk, all measured against NHS guidelines.

  • Results in under 10 minutes
  • Heart age & 10-year risk
  • Written record to keep
Step 3

3. We plan

Practical diet and lifestyle changes that actually move the numbers, a retest to track progress, and GP referral where treatment should be discussed.

  • Evidence-based diet advice
  • Retest schedule arranged
  • GP referral where needed

Hover or tap a card to see its key points

Who is this check for?

It's ideal for any adult who wants to understand their heart-disease risk — especially if you're over 40, have a family history of heart disease or high cholesterol, are overweight, smoke, or simply haven't been checked in a while. Some patients already on lipid-lowering medication may be better served by GP-managed monitoring.

Suitable for

  • Adults wanting a baseline cholesterol check
  • Patients with a family history of high cholesterol or heart disease
  • Those wanting to track the impact of lifestyle changes
  • Patients ineligible for free NHS health checks
  • Adults monitoring their cardiovascular risk

Not suitable for

  • Patients already on lipid-lowering medication — your GP will manage monitoring
  • Children (we'd recommend GP referral)
  • Acute symptoms suggesting cardiovascular emergency — call 999
  • Patients with red-flag symptoms or complex medical needs — we will refer to GP

What to expect

The whole visit takes around 10–15 minutes and uses just a drop of blood from a finger-prick. You usually don't need to fast — we'll let you know if we suggest it when you book.

Arrival

Walk in or book ahead. We'll take you to our private consultation room.

Measurements

A quick finger-prick sample, plus your blood pressure and weight taken on the day.

Your results

Fully explained in under 10 minutes — each marker, your heart age and your risk.

Your plan

Tailored lifestyle advice, a retest date to track progress, and GP referral if needed.

Ready to book — or have a question?

Send us a brief enquiry and we'll get back to you within one working day. Or call us directly on 01254 660473.

Enquiry sent

Thank you. A member of our team will respond within one working day.

Common questions

What exactly does the check measure?
A 5-marker cholesterol profile — total cholesterol, LDL/non-HDL (bad), HDL (good), triglycerides and the total-cholesterol-to-HDL ratio — plus your blood pressure and weight. We combine these with your age, sex, ethnicity and history in a personalised QRISK assessment to give you a heart age and your estimated 10-year risk of heart attack or stroke.
How accurate is a finger-prick test?
Very. We use clinically validated point-of-care technology that delivers lab-grade, fully quantified numbers (not just a colour strip) in under 10 minutes — comparable to a laboratory blood test, but without the wait.
What is a "heart age"?
It translates all your results into a single, easy number: the age your heart and arteries are behaving like, compared with your actual age. If your heart age is higher than your real age, it's a clear, motivating sign to act — and we'll show you how.
Do I need to fast beforehand?
Usually not — the check works without fasting. For the most accurate triglyceride and LDL figures we may suggest fasting (water only) for 9 to 12 hours; we'll advise you when you book.
What happens if my results are high?
We compare your numbers to NHS clinical guidelines and explain them clearly. We'll give you tailored diet and lifestyle advice, arrange a retest to track progress, and where appropriate refer you to your GP to discuss further investigation or treatment.

Find out your heart age today

Walk in during opening hours or call ahead. In about 10 minutes you'll know your cholesterol profile, heart age and 10-year risk — and exactly what to do next.