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UK digital diagnostics leader PocDoc has partnered with Starlink to deliver offline digital heart health screening to the country’s most remote areas
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Partnership cements PocDoc’s position as one of the world’s most connected point-of-care testing companies
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The launch event at Middlesbrough Mela showcased on-site health checks powered by Starlink’s satellite connectivity
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The collaboration supports NHS goals by expanding access to preventative care without the need for GP visits
CAMBRIDGE, AUGUST: PocDoc, the UK’s leading digital diagnostics company, has partnered with Starlink – Elon Musk’s satellite internet network – to deliver at-home and community-based health screening in areas without mobile signal.
The industry-first collaboration enables PocDoc’s flagship Healthy Heart Check to run entirely offline – reaching millions, even the most isolated parts of the UK.
Across the UK, 7% of the country remains a complete mobile ‘not-spot’1 – an area nearly as large as Wales with no 4G coverage from any operator2 By harnessing the Starlink low-earth orbit satellite network, PocDoc is bridging these connectivity gaps and enabling patients from Land’s End to John o’Groats to take control of their heart health.
PocDoc launched the partnership at Middlesbrough Mela, a music festival in Albert Park with almost no mobile signal. Thanks to Starlink, the Healthy Heart Check was fully operational on-site and screened hundreds of festival-goers in 24 hours.
The simple finger-prick blood test delivers a full cholesterol and diabetes profile, BMI, heart age, and a ten-year risk score for heart attack or stroke – all powered by PocDoc’s innovative smartphone technology.
Extending access to remote areas like these is crucial: NHS research shows each digital health check saves 20 minutes of a GP’s time3, while early detection could prevent 80% of CVD cases – potentially saving around 136,000 lives annually4.
The partnership builds on PocDoc’s successful rollout of the Healthy Heart Check across the North East and North Cumbria region (NENC). There, Starlink technology is already being used to bring rapid cardiovascular screening into underserved areas with limited GP access.
For the past year, PocDoc has been working closely with numerous NHS bodies and retailers, including Well Pharmacy, Boots and Superdrug, to boost access to life-saving heart health checks. The company is on track to help half a million individuals manage their heart health by the end of 2025.
Now, building on this month’s launch of the world’s first smartphone-based HbA1c blood test for type 2 diabetes, PocDoc is setting a new standard in digital diagnostics and preventative care across the UK, supporting the Government’s 10-year NHS plan to expand community-based testing.
Steve Roest, CEO at PocDoc, said: “We’re proud to be the first digital diagnostics solution to partner with Starlink, using cutting-edge technology to solve real-world problems. It’s about leveling the playing field – everyone in the UK deserves access to the same preventative care, no matter their postcode.
“This partnership is one of many exciting collaborations we’ve launched in 2025, bringing us closer to our vision of reaching every community, in every corner of the country.”
Julia Newton, Medical Director at Health Innovation Northeast and North Cumbria, commented: “Our partnership with PocDoc has helped bring essential heart health checks to communities that need them most. We’re thrilled to be the first NHS region to use Starlink to screen people who would have otherwise been difficult to reach, and to expand access to vital care across even the most remote areas.”
