LloydsPharmacy has made its Type 2 diabetes testing service free for Diabetes Week 2021, the multiple has announced.

The 10-minute screening service is available to the public between 14-20 June.

The service, which has been running since 2003, comprises a trained pharmacist asking a patient a series of questions to assess their risk of diabetes before measuring their blood pressure and blood glucose levels.

Depending on the results, the patient could be invited back for further testing or offered personalised lifestyle advice to help reduce their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, the multiple explained.

However, LloydsPharmacy has decided to make it free to the public across its 1,400 pharmacies this week in which time it aims to test at least 3,000 people. The initiative is partly funded by Novo Nordisk.

The multiple said that demand for the test has ‘soared’ since lockdown restrictions eased in the UK, with checks increasing by 250% during April and May, compared to the same period last year.

Anna Ruthven, head of services at McKesson UK, parent company of LloydsPharmacy, said: ’The pandemic has had a significant impact on how people have accessed the healthcare they’ve needed, and we want to help reduce barriers and increase access to Type 2 diabetes screening services.’

She added: ‘It’s important we’re able to engage communities in preventative services that support their health and wellbeing, and our pharmacy teams can help empower people to do this.

‘The timely identification of individuals at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, or in the early stages of the condition, is crucial and interventions like this can really make a difference.’

Last month, LloydsPharmacy announced it was working with a marketing specialist to help drive engagement through targeted coupons to its customers in a bid to become a ‘consumer destination for all over the counter products’.

The point-of-sale (POS) marketing specialist Ecrebo created customised coupons and bespoke offers which customers will find on their paper receipts.