PocDoc partners with NHS Birmingham and Solihull ICB to deliver CVD screenings alongside cancer checks on mobile tour for underserved communities

PocDoc, the UK’s leading digital health diagnostics company, has announced a new partnership with NHS Birmingham and Solihull (BSOL) Integrated Care Board (ICB) to deliver screening for cardiovascular disease (CVD) to disadvantaged communities across the region.

PocDoc’s Healthy Heart Check will now be offered to all users of NHS BSOL’s quarterly 18-day ‘Cancer Bus Tour’ alongside the existing cancer screening service. The dedicated bus will visit locations across Birmingham and Solihull, to give members of the community the opportunity to identify early signs of cancer and speak to and learn from cancer professionals.

The partnership marks a turning point in community screening. By bringing these vital services directly to people’s doorsteps, it makes it easier for people identify their risk of these chronic diseases and take the necessary steps to address them.

Research suggests that as many as 80% of CVD cases can be prevented via early detection, while the ability to detect cancer sooner has a profound impact on patient outcomes and survival rates. Combining PocDoc’s Healthy Heart Check with NHS BSOL’s cancer screening services will address the crucial need for early detection, by providing almost 2,000 health checks annually across Birmingham and Solihull. It will also help bridge the health inequality gap by improving access to preventative testing for the most at-risk individuals.

Patients that receive PocDoc’s ‘Healthy Heart Check’ will be given a comprehensive cholesterol and diabetes profile, body mass index score, NHS heart age, and a ten-year risk assessment for heart attacks or stroke. Carried out via a phone in less than ten minutes, it empowers people to detect their CVD risk easily and quickly.

The test represents a watershed moment in the UK’s fight against CVD – a disease which claims the lives of 170,000 people a year and costs the NHS £7.4 billion annually. PocDoc estimates that earlier screening could save the lives of 136,000 every year.

This partnership builds on PocDoc’s existing activities with NHS bodies, work places, and community and retail pharmacies to roll out the Healthy Heart Check across the UK. In June 2024, PocDoc became the first private diagnostics provider to integrate with the NHS app.

The next Cancer Tour Bus will begin on Friday 20^th June. More details can be found here.

Steve Roest, CEO at PocDoc, commented:

“We are thrilled to be partnering with NHS BSOL on this initiative, to provide crucial CVD screening to underserved communities across Birmingham and Solihull.

“Health inequality remains a major issue in the UK. By offering additional screening touchpoints in the community, this partnership provides more opportunities for people to take preventative action on their health and access the care and support they need – without needing to visit a GP.”

Kafilla Munir, Cancer Partnership Improvement Manager at Birmingham and Solihull ICB, commented:

“Really excited to be working in collaboration with PocDoc. We're rolling out our cancer bus tour in June, on Friday the 20^th. And this is a new addition to the health checks that we're carrying out, providing some much needed heart health monitoring.

We think that this is a unique opportunity to combine technology, the knowledge that we have around, health and early intervention and try to get people familiarised with the importance of healthy living."