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Exclusive: Asda has responded to accusations that one of its area managers recommended that pharmacies be set “targets to reach each week” for delivering the Community Pharmacy Hypertension Case-Finding Service.  

Comments circulated on social media earlier this week quoting a message allegedly sent by an Asda area manager that referenced setting targets for the service, for which the NHS pays pharmacies £15 for each clinical blood pressure check given to eligible patients. 

P3pharmacy has seen a screenshot of the messages, in which an area manager appears to state: “BP [blood pressure testing] is a colleague task, ensure colleagues are trained up and given targets to reach each week. This is one of the easiest services to deliver.”

The area manager also complains that “zero” patients have received ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM), which as part of the commissioned service is offered to patients with readings between 140/90mmHg and 179/119mmHg. The NHS pays pharmacies £45 for each ABPM. 

“We need to all be getting this on to our agendas,” the area manager says of the lack of recorded ABPMs.

The area manager's message also contained screenshots of a conversation they had had with Asda healthcare services manager Richard Harrison, who advises that generally a patient with no clinical reason for frequent checking “can have it checked every 12 months” and adds: “It is ultimately up to the pharmacist as to how often. If there is clinical reason why they need a BP check more frequently, then they can do it.”

The area manager replies: “I think people are being checked way more frequently than 12 months, especially with the incentive.”

Mr Harrison then says: “Realistically, I’m not worried. It’s all very grey so if the patient [wants] it checked, then it’s their decision to do so… so we can crack on.

“As long as they [aren’t asking] every week or so. For me, I would question if a customer asks more frequently than every few months (which just so happens to fall in line with the BP awareness timings).”

When approached by P3pharmacy, Asda said that company policy in no way emphasises commercial targets for clinical services and that the area manager’s messages do not reflect the chain’s official position but added that it does offer staff performance incentives to encourage high levels of customer service. 

An Asda spokesperson told P3pharmacy: “The messages highlighted on social media are not official communications from Asda to its pharmacy colleagues. 

“As part of providing a great service to our patients, we will inform them of all available services, and all our pharmacies strictly follow NHS guidance when recommending blood pressure tests to patients.”