Our Future Health’s mobile clinics launch in Scotland
From early July, Our Future Health’s mobile clinics will travel across Scotland to enable more people to take part in health research
The programme has been running in Scotland for over two years and this expansion will help around 60,000 more people be part of the UK’s largest health research programme over the next six months.
Healthy life expectancy, which refers to the number of years a person can expect to live in good health, has been decreasing in Scotland over the last 10 years. Scottish people are currently expected to live in good health for roughly 59 years on average, and this is even less for people who live in the most deprived areas of the country.
Our Future Health aims to change this by making it easier for Scottish people to take part in health research which will support everyone live longer, healthier lives. Over 2.7 million people have signed up, including 91,000 people in Scotland, and the programme is launching three new mobile clinics which will travel around Scotland so even more people can take part.
Our Future Health aims to transform the prevention, detection and treatment of conditions like cardiovascular disease, as well as other conditions such as cancer, dementia and diabetes. 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.
Health research informs new discoveries and treatments for diseases — including cardiovascular diseases (such as heart attacks and strokes) which cause 28% of deaths in Scotland, which translates to 50 Scots dying from cardiovascular diseases each day.
At their clinic appointment, as well as giving a blood sample and some physical measurements taken, volunteers will be offered information about their own health, including their blood pressure. The appointment lasts 15-20 minutes and will be conducted by a trained member of staff. As part of signing up, people will consent to Our Future Health linking to their medical records and will also complete a health and lifestyle questionnaire. In the future, volunteers will also be given the option to receive feedback about their risk of some diseases and can take part in cutting-edge research studies. An Our Future Health video includes more information about what happens at the clinic appointment.
The new mobile clinics will visit cities and rural areas of Scotland over the next six months, to raise awareness of the programme and include people who may not have had the opportunity to have an Our Future Health clinic appointment. Once people have signed up to the programme online, they can book a clinic appointment in advance.
The clinics will visit locations including Aberdeen, Arbroath, Bathgate, Cumbernauld, Dundee, Elgin, Forfar, Glenrothes, Inverness, Inverurie, Kilmarnock, Leven, Linlithgow, Livingston, Motherwell, Perth, Peterhead and Straiton — with more locations across Scotland to come. Our Future Health has created a Google Maps page which further information about all new locations will be added to.
It is important that Our Future Health’s volunteer cohort accurately represents the UK so that discoveries made using Our Future Health benefit everyone. That’s why people need to represent Scotland in the programme, so the future of healthcare can reflect the diverse populations and health needs of Scottish people.
Our Future Health is aiming to reach people who have been under-represented in health research in the past, including people under 30 years old and people from more deprived backgrounds. Anyone over the age of 18 living in Scotland can join by signing up online, completing an online health questionnaire, and booking a short clinic appointment.
Professor Dame Anna Dominiczak, Chief Scientist (Health) at Scottish Government and one of the world’s leading cardiovascular experts said: “Our Future Health has been running in Scotland for over two years, but these mobile units provide the opportunity to reach even more people. By moving up and down the country, visiting cities and rural locations and being visible in places like car parks or leisure centres it offers greater convenience and makes it easier for people to take part.
“This is really important. To move healthcare from reactive treatment to prevention, researchers need to understand our entire population — and that means involving volunteers from all different backgrounds. The data volunteers provide to Our Future Health can help better identify who is at risk of developing diseases, build targeted prevention strategies and support earlier treatments. Ultimately, we want to help people live healthier lives for longer and need the support of willing volunteers to do this.”
Dr Raghib Ali, Chief Executive and Chief Medical Officer of Our Future Health, said: “We’re thrilled to launch our mobile clinic roadshow this summer, enabling even more people to get involved in Our Future Health. It’s essential that our programme represents people across the UK, so that research can reflect the health and needs of people in these areas. We are committed to ensuring that the people who participate reflect the whole of Scotland, including younger people and those from more deprived backgrounds, both groups who are often under-represented in research. These new clinics will travel to areas of Scotland that we haven’t been to before, so more people can take part to learn about their own health and help to improve the health of everyone in Scotland.”
People who don’t live near one of the new Scottish locations are encouraged to still sign up to Our Future Health online and complete the questionnaire, as this provides useful information that researchers can study to better understand health in Scotland.
Publication date: 8th July 2026
