UK’s largest health research programme opens 15 new clinics in July
Mobile clinics will visit Barking & Dagenham, Hammersmith, Northampton, Sefton and Selby. The programme is also opening clinics in an additional 10 Boots pharmacies: Banbury, Blackpool Bank Hey Street, Burnley, Chester Foregate Street, Colchester, Eastbourne, Knaresborough, Lancaster, Newark Stodman Street, and Norwich.
Our Future Health aims to transform the prevention, detection and treatment of conditions such as dementia, cancer, diabetes, heart disease and stroke. With up to five million volunteers right across the UK, the goal is to create one of the most detailed pictures ever of people’s health.
At their clinic appointment, as well as having a blood sample and some physical measurements taken, volunteers will be offered information about their own 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 cutting-edge research studies.
Working in collaboration with the NHS, the programme is sending invitation letters to people who live near the new clinics. Anyone over the age of 18 can join by signing up online, completing an online health questionnaire, and booking a short clinic appointment.
James Vincent, 37, who joined at our Sheffield clinic in June, said:
“I signed up online and booked an appointment – it was easy. It takes just 10 minutes and will benefit others, plus you get some information about your own health. I’m interested in technology, so I’m all for donating my data to be analysed and used for good. With all this data, researchers will be able to find patterns so they can create solutions for diseases in the future.”
Dr Raghib Ali OBE, Chief Medical Officer at Our Future Health, said:
“Each month we’re rolling out new clinics in high street pharmacies and supermarket car parks to make it more convenient than ever for people to take part in health research. We want to reach all kinds of people, especially those who have never done anything like this before. That way, research based on Our Future Health can benefit every kind of person.”
Photos and videos of the mobile clinics can be downloaded here.
Our Future Health is rolling out on a region-by-region basis to invite adults across the UK to join the programme. Volunteers who don’t live near a location where Our Future Health appointments are currently available can join now and be notified when new appointment locations become available.
New locations will be announced on the Our Future Health website and social media channels.
Our Future Health is an ambitious collaboration between the public sector, life sciences companies and leading UK health charities including: Action Against Age-related Macular Degeneration, Alzheimer’s Society, Asthma + Lung UK, Blood Cancer UK, Breast Cancer Now, British Heart Foundation, Cancer Research UK, Diabetes UK, Kidney Research UK, Pancreatic Cancer UK, Parkinson’s UK, Prostate Cancer UK, Royal Osteoporosis Society and Stroke Association.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
Interviews available with spokespeople and volunteers on request.
Images and videos, credit to Our Future Health, downloadable from here.
YouTube link for mobile hub video: https://youtu.be/uX1Nr5A6e54
About Our Future Health
Our Future Health is a collaboration between the public, charity and private sectors to build the UK’s largest health research programme – bringing people together to develop new ways to prevent, detect and treat disease.
Our Future Health is committed to the highest standards, policies and processes that protect participants’ confidentiality, whilst maximising the opportunity to help researchers to tackle serious diseases. Volunteers’ data will be de-identified and held securely in trusted research environments that meet strict security criteria. Our Future Health data and samples is only available to registered researchers conducting health research for the public good and is strictly controlled through an access process. All researchers will be held to the same standards.
Our Future Health is a member of the UK Health Data Research Alliance, the independent alliance of leading healthcare and research organisations establishing best practice for the ethical use of UK health data for research at scale.
Our Future Health is a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales (number 12212468) and a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 1189681) and OSCR, Scottish Charity Regulator (charity number SC050917).
About NHS DigiTrials
NHS DigiTrials, hosted by NHS England, offers data services to support clinical trials. We help reduce the time, effort and cost of developing new drugs, treatments and services, bringing benefits to patients, the public and the NHS.
Opt-out from receiving an invitation – People who have previously opted out of sharing health data for planning and research purposes, by submitting a National Data Opt-out, will not receive an invitation letter to join the programme via NHS England (who host the NHS DigiTrials service). People who do not want to receive an invitation letter from NHS England can opt out by completing the form on the NHS DigiTrials webpage.
To sign up follow this link – or see our website for more information.