These are the walk-in tests available at many pharmacies across Malaga province

A marquee in Calle José Iturbi, the heart of Bailén-Miraflores district of Malaga, was the venue for Malaga's college of pharmacists to showcase of their additional services. On Wednesday 11 June, dozens of people received tests (free of charge) that are now available at many pharmacies across the province. In addition to dispensing medicine and health-related products, pharmacists can conduct tests which inform patients of stress levels, diabetes, cholesterol, blood pressure, the state of the skin and bones, venous return and body composition. These tests can be taken by anyone interested in the various pharmaceutical establishments in the province.

As pointed out by Alberto Barrionuevo Torre, spokesperson for the college of pharmacists, the so-called 'health tent' has already been taken to several municipalities in the province and the idea is to hold the last two in Malaga city. "This simply aims to show the public a series of additional services that can be provided in the pharmacy," he said. Although he warned that pharmacists can only offer health recommendations or referrals to doctors - not diagnoses. "We promote health," he said and highlighted that the 'health tent' was still expecting another 150 patients on Wednesday.

By ten o'clock in the morning, the queue of interested parties was already quite long. Before directing residents to their tests, a screening was carried out based on a series of questions related to the patient's lifestyle and health (whether or not they smoke, if they do sport, their weight, previous illnesses, etc).

Barrionuevo explained some of the available tests. Stress is measured by inserting a finger in a device that quantifies the patient's capacity to resist nerves and anxiety. There are a series of tests related to cardiovascular risk such as blood pressure, cholesterol and sugar levels, which are measured through a finger prick. The evaluation of body composition is carried out through a bioimpedance machine that measures body fat and musculature.

Pharmacists can also analyse skin condition, "whether it is oily or dry, whether it needs moisturising, pigmentation, sun protection, oil, sebum, elasticity and a sweep is also made of spots with a camera," including nails and hair. For osteoporosis, a densitometer is applied to the heel and bone density is measured, after which nutritional recommendations are made. "If it is lower than it should be, you will be referred to a doctor," he explained.

Venous return consists of placing electrodes on the calf and measuring how long it takes to fill veins after circulatory activation. This helps to find reason for pain, cramps, tiredness or heaviness in the legs - so common in summer among the elderly.

Barrionuevo pointed out that this initiative wasn't launch just to reduce the queues at health centres: the college is now developing a pilot project with ten health centres - 60 pharmacies now notify family doctors when chronic medication expires. When it expires, "we notify the health centre and that person does not have to make an appointment to renew the medication, it is done from the pharmacies: this year there are 7,000 patients who have not had to go through health centres". The idea is to extend the programme to all 680 pharmacies in the province.

Other projects from the college involve pharmacies alerting doctors if they detect any adverse reactions or inaccurate doses of various drugs - a "precautionary cancellation" programme. There is also the initiative to dispense hospital medicines in pharmacies, which has already been extended to the whole of Andalucía. "The patient chooses where they want to pick up their medication, either at the hospital or at their pharmacy," he explained.

"We are the only walk-in health centre, open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, we are right on the street - anyone can go to the pharmacy without an appointment," he said.

Teresa Candón is a local resident and attended the 'health tent' because the pharmacy told her about the new initiative. "I have just taken a body composition test, to check my fat, fluid and muscle mass and so on. This is very good for prevention." She said that this type of preventative action should be encouraged.

Adelaida Quijada, another neighbourhood resident, said: "This is fabulous. They should be able to test more things too, like electrocardiograms".