UHNM Launches Mobile Lung Cancer Screening CT Scanner to Enhance Accessibility Across the County

More people from Staffordshire are to benefit from early life-saving cancer detection following the launch of a mobile cancer screening CT scanner by UHNM lung screening team.

The mobile unit is travelling between cities, towns, and rural areas, ensuring that Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent communities can access potentially lifesaving screenings close to home.

The mobile unit, equipped with the latest CT scanning technology, will provide lung cancer screenings, with a focus on early detection. This service aims to reach individuals who might not otherwise have the opportunity to access these life-saving screenings due to transport or financial reasons.

Janina Barnett, UHNM Lung Cancer Screening Programme Manager said: “Our goal is to ensure that cancer screening is accessible to everyone, regardless of where they live. By taking this essential service directly to communities, we’re making it easier for individuals to get the early detection they need, which can dramatically improve survival rates.”

The mobile screening unit will travel across the county, setting up on local car parks, shopping centres and leisure centres. A schedule of upcoming locations and dates will be available on the UHNM website and through local community outreach.

 The screening service will be available to individuals aged 55-74 who are current or ex-smokers.

The mobile screening initiative is part of the NHS’s ongoing commitment to reducing health inequalities and ensuring that all individuals have equal access to the best possible healthcare. The programme also supports the NHS’s broader efforts to tackle cancer earlier and improve survival outcomes for all patients.

Dr Hussain, UHNM Clinical Lead for Lung Cancer Screening Programme, said: “We know that early diagnosis is key to improving cancer outcomes. By bringing this screening technology directly to the community, we are ensuring that more people have the chance to detect cancer at its most treatable stage.”

The mobile CT scanner has begun its county-wide tour with its first stops in Leek and Burton and will soon to move to Tamworth.