Dozens of health research clinics to open in Scotland

The UK’s largest health research programme is set to open dozens of mobile clinics across Scotland.

The Our Future Health project aims to transform the prevention, detection and treatment of conditions such as dementia, cancer, diabetes, heart disease and stroke.

It will offer about 276,500 appointments across 45 clinic locations over the next year.

The first Scottish clinics will be at Boots stores in Ayr, Dunfermline, East Kilbride, Glasgow Fort, Greenock, Irvine, Kirkcaldy and The Gyle in Edinburgh.

More clinics will open in the coming months.

About one and a half million volunteers have already signed up across the UK.

At their clinic appointment, the volunteers will give a blood sample and physical measurements will be taken.

They will be offered information about their health, including their blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

In the future, volunteers will also be given the option to receive feedback about their risk of some diseases and have the opportunity to take part in research studies.

It has been estimated that by 2043, two thirds of the increased burden of disease in Scotland will be due to increases in cancers, cardiovascular disease, and neurological conditions.

These conditions are all affected by blood pressure and cholesterol.

The programme is sending invitations to people who live near the new clinics.

Anyone over the age of 18 can join by signing up online at ourfuturehealth.org.uk, external, completing an online health questionnaire, and booking a short clinic appointment.

Linda Bauld, professor of public health at the University of Edinburgh, said: “We’re delighted to welcome the Our Future Health programme to Scotland.

"We know the burden of disease in Scotland is projected to rise by 21% by 2043, which means it is increasingly important that we have access to data that can help inform efforts to address this.

"This programme has the potential to improve health care in Scotland, supporting early detection and prevention, and, in turn, helping people in Scotland to live in good health for longer.”

Joseph Carter, head of Asthma + Lung UK Scotland, a funding charity of Our Future Health, welcomed the news that clinics were now opening in Scotland.

“By working together, we want to see the thousands of people with lung conditions living in Scotland to be better represented in health research," he said.

"In the past two decades there has been little improvement in how we diagnose and treat lung conditions, despite the fact they are the third biggest cause of death.

“This opportunity to use health data for research will help us to better understand lung disease, ultimately leading to better diagnosis, treatment and management.”

Dr Raghib Ali, chief executive and chief medical officer of Our Future Health, said: “Our Future Health is a programme for the whole of the UK and so we’re delighted to be launching recruitment in Scotland."

He said the programme would give volunteers the opportunity to learn more about their own health, help to improve the health of everyone in Scotland and reduce inequalities.

"Researchers in Scotland will also be able to apply to use our resource to make new discoveries about diseases, including those that pose significant challenges in Scotland,” he added.