'We helped a homeless man find accommodation in the West Midlands while on an NHS cancer bus screening hundreds for the disease'

Advisers on a ‘cancer bus’ touring Birmingham and Solihull to raise awareness of the importance of screening helped a homeless man find accommodation.

NHS Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board arranged for the bus to visit locations in the areas to advise on the importance of detecting cancer early and offering health checks.

There are representatives from services such as gambling, drugs and alcohol support and smoking cessation.

But the range of help and support available as part of the initiative was highlighted when a homeless man was found accommodation during a visit.

Kafilla Munir, cancer partnership improvement manager, said: “Often you have to make an appointment and go into a specialist service. But we are here and people are able to come and chat to us.

“We’ve got the drugs, alcohol and gambling services with us as well as benefits advisers with us. We’ve got the different screening teams here. We’re working in collaboration.

“We had a homeless gentlemen talking to us in April and it translated he had applied for housing but he didn’t have a contact number and he couldn’t get in touch with the team.

“The team were on the bus that day and were able to communicate this and able to house him while he was waiting.”

Since its launch in September 2024, 850 health checks have been carried out on the bus and 1,300 health information bags have been given out to members of the public.

Figures reveal screening rates in Birmingham and Solihull are increasing but remain below the national average in some cases.

Jo Tolley, head of cancer and diagnostics delivery and improvement at NHS Birmingham and Solihull said: “This round of the bus tour is bigger and better than ever, with the services on board determined by local needs.

“Stops are in locations where we know uptake of screening appointments is lower and we have additional services on offer in locations where

communities might be more at risk of a certain cancer or other issue.

“With the support of our partners and passengers on the bus we will be able to speak about other long-term health conditions such as diabetes, or other relevant challenges like the ongoing cost of living crisis, gambling, drugs and alcohol addiction and find support to quit smoking.”

The cancer bus is led by the Board and delivered in collaboration with health and care partners including Macmillan Cancer Support, the West Midlands Cancer Alliance, University Hospitals Birmingham and the Help in Brum project.

It’s remaining dates in June will see it visit Aldi on Stratford Road on Monday (June 23) Tesco in Aston on Tuesday (June 24) and Mell Square in Solihull on Wednesday (June 25) from 9.30am to 4pm before returning in September.